Never Again
by pennylane87
Summary: The Brotherhood finds out about a collar inhibitor made by Forge that Gambit has and goes to New Orleans in order to get it. Can the Brotherhood fool the Master of Thieves or it's gonna be Rogue the one to fall in love? IN HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys! Here's my latest fic based on the new _Wolverine and the X-men_ show, I really hope you like it. It doesn't mean that I'm forgetting my other fic 'The girl she used to be', I promise I'll try to work on them both. I'm just loving this new show and after I saw the first episodes and read TheRealRogue's Wolverine and the X-men fic 'Junction' (if you haven't read it yet, go now and do it, it's really cool) this idea started to spin round my head... Anyway I want to thank Wanda W for helping me with my English and betaread this for me, and also TheRealRogue for reading a first version and giving me some ideas to improve it, thank you girls :D

PLOT: this is a W&XM fic inspired by some events on episodes 2 and 5. Rogue is part of the Brotherhood and they found out about this collar inhibitor made by Forge (Gambit steals it on ep. 5). Unlike the show Gambit keeps it so the entire Brotherhood goes to New Orleans in order to get it by... making the thief fall in love with the member who 'needs' it the most, Rogue. Is the Brotherhood going to fool the Master of Thieves or it's gonna be Rogue the one to fall in love?

A/N:_** Bold italics memories **_and_ Just Italics thoughts/French words._

Disclaimer: all the X-men belong to Marvel.

**XX**

Working for the Brotherhood wasn't in her plans but Domino was right she needed some affiliations, being a mutant by yourself in times likes this wasn't exactly the best idea. Sadly or not her former team doesn't exist any more and those times when she used to believe what Professor Charles Xavier preached were gone. Mutants must work together for their own sake not for that stupid human kind who only wanted to eradicate them.

_**It's time we stopped being victims. It's time we unite**_. Domino's words were stuck in her mind. But they weren't the only ones. Logan's were there too: _**I want you to come back. Together we can do something about it. Just come back to the X-men…**_

The hell with him, she didn't want to be an X-man anymore; how could she? Logan was a liar; she trusted him and he walked away on her. She was not going to let him abandon her once again. How could he call himself a leader –Scott was but not him- he couldn't even stay in one place and no one could follow a leader who's never there.

So here she was, standing by the Brotherhood's door feeling awkwardly upset over nothing in particular. After all, she wasn't betraying anybody. Taking a deep breath Rogue knocked. This was just business, mere survival… she will never trust anyone else again.

**…**

_-The next day-_

"Welcome to the Brotherhood Rogue," Pietro Maximoff was smiling and Rogue immediately noticed the air of self-satisfaction covering his face.

"But why do yah have to destroy his home?"

"Because when the Brotherhood leaves a message, it ain't a note on the door."

Standing on a nearby hill the Brotherhood watched as the Worthington mansion burned in flames. Rogue never wanted to hurt Warren's family but his father was working as Senator Kelly's right-hand, partially financing the Sentinel Project thus becoming one of the Brotherhood's target.

_-A few moments earlier-_

Entering the house was not a problem Avalanche and the Blob tore down every gate, wall, and door. Domino was a hell of a shooter and Quicksilver covered the entire property in seconds. Angel wasn't there; maybe he was at the Institute. As for Rogue, her task was absorbing Worthington in order to obtain Trask's laboratory location. Pietro was sure that being that close to Senator Kelly, Angel's father must knew more than he admitted to his son. Moments before Rogue touched him, Quicksilver approached Worthington's face and menacingly said.

"Give Senator Kelly a little message from the Brotherhood – There's no stopping the mutants! And we're coming for him next…" then turning towards Rogue, he said, "It's all yours Rogue. Drain the bastard."

And Rogue did as she was told…

**…**

_-A week later-_

"The whole place fell down. I couldn't see one fucking Sentinel."

"Domino, are you sure?" Pietro was a little anxious.

_He is far from being his father's son_ Rogue thought.

"Hey, I was in the place Rogue told us. Wolverine was there, too."

"Logan was there?"

"What's the matter gorgeous, are you worried about your Canadian friend?"

"Yah know Ah'm not Pietro," Rogue gazed him; her emerald green eyes pierced his blue ones fiercely. "And he, he's no friend of mine… not anymore."

"Are you two done?" Domino asked. "As I was saying Wolverine was there, it seemed he wanted to reclaim some inhibitor collar Forge made that was stolen from the X-mansion."

"And?" Pietro became interested, a power inhibitor sounds like a promising device.

"He wasn't able to get it. Apparently the thief Bolivar Trask hired in the first place stole it back from him and ran away with it fooling Trask and infuriating Wolverine."

"I think I like the guy already… who was he?"

"I'm on it," Domino's fingers traveled around the keyboard. Thanks to Pietro's sister Wanda they owned a copy of the Genosha Files compiled by Magneto himself. "Gambit. Real name: Remy Etienne LeBeau. Alias: Le Diable Blanc. Citizenship: U.S.A. Current Location: New Orleans, Louisiana. Affiliation: The Thieves Guild. Height: 6'1''. Weight: 179 lbs. Eyes: red on black. Hair: brown. Powers: mutant ability to tap into the potential energy contained within an object and transform it into kinetic energy upon touching it. Hypnotic charm. Abilities: near-superhuman dexterity, skilled hand-to-hand combatant. Bilingual in English and French."

"Ok, ok. He's a Jack of all Trades."

"Jealous?" Rogue teased him.

"Not a bit" Pietro said chuckling.

**…**

_ And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see  
wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him,  
that we may bind him to afflict him._

"Do I have to remind you again your current position Rogue?" Pietro said in that blackmailer tone he'd noticed somehow seemed to affect Rogue. "We're the Brotherhood. You are with us or against us."

"Ah'm with you… it's just that…"

"Nothing. We decided the strategy, every one of us must do as planned"

"Well yeah but using meh as some sort of Delilah against this… this guy ah don't even know."

"Well we can't use Neena, can we?"

If looks could kill Quicksilver would be six feet under by now as Rogue and Domino pierced him with their gazes. Rogue was being used, he just admitted it; he said the word when referring to Neena. In the eyes of Quicksilver she was just some kind of weapon, a powerful weapon, nothing more. She felt the anger seizing her at the remembrance of Mystique and then the X-men, at least for some of them she was indeed a person, a friend… or at least they faked it very well. _Trust no one. Need no one. Yah are by yahrself, _she said to herself, repeating it over and over again.

"Roguey, Roguey… you're the untouchable one. If we send Neena, there will be no challenge. From what I've heard about this Cajun he's some Casanova… Neena would be just another of his conquests, you by the other hand." Pietro caressed Rogue's cheek –since she'd joined, the rest of the Brotherhood began to use gloves as protection- "Are beautiful, sexy, the temptation made woman…" Rogue pushed his hand with a smack, "You have to work on those manners of you… we don't want to disappoint our thief."

"Aghh" Domino snarled, she used to be the only girl here and although she didn't dislike Rogue, that excessive attention from Pietro towards the southerner was beginning to upset her "What if we just steal that goddamn collar?"

"That's right Neena, to steal from the Price of Thieves… master of some kind of Thieves Guild. Just tell me how could we?" Pietro asked.

"I was just saying… I mean maybe Rogue's right this whole idea could be too risky not just for her but for all of us."

"And I suppose you have a better idea?" Pietro looked at Neena but she didn't say a word "I guess not. We'll do as planned." Pietro stood up and assuming his role of leader he spoke loud and clear to the rest of the team.

"We'll fly to New Orleans, settle in and make some noise; this mutant thief has to know we're there. Avalanche, Blob that's your job." Pietro gave them a look and both men nodded "When he heard about us, he'll want to meet us, of that I'm sure. We'll arrange a meeting and then he'll meet our southern belle." He smiled at Rogue who didn't smile back. "You'll flirt with him, seduce him, trust me girl you've got all the equipment." Rogue just rolled her eyes at the annoying comment and the even more annoying laughs of Toad. "Once our thief knows about your mutant powers he'll willingly give you the collar and that's it, we come back home with our prize… I bet you Magneto will be more than intrigued by this little device."

_Is he doing all this because of his father? Someone really wants daddy's approval_, Rogue said to herself.

"And you think this is gonna be as easy as you expect?" Domino asked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't be?" Pietro asked back without quite smiling.

"We don't know this guy… what if something goes wrong or… have you even thought about any remote possibility?" Domino insisted.

"Believe me Neena. I've got it all under control."

Or so he thought, what Pietro never imagined was that his new teammate was about to put all his master plans at risk… a risk she didn't even look for, but at the same time wanted deeply.

The French Quarter. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Remy LeBeau -_Le Diable Blanc-_ Master of the Louisiana's Thieves Guild was sitting by a huge ebony desk, in what used to be his father's office. A few years before, Jean-Luc LeBeau handed down to his younger son the title of Master in order to remove himself from the 'public' life –as a public as thief's life could be- yet he still was a very important part of the guild, always standing by his son's shoulder. While Henri his older son took care of the guild's foreign business and administrative issues, Remy was an active thief, considered by many the best not only in the United States, but the entire American Continent. His abilities and skills preceded him, and his mutancy –in spite of the fact that it distinguished him- constantly reminded him of the others around there like him. So when a group of mutants seemed to settle down in New Orleans helping some people and having troubles with the law and the FOH (Friends of Humanity), Gambit decided to investigate…

"_Alors_ dis mutants… what do ya find 'bout dem Etienne?"

"_Quatre gars et deux filles_" Remy nodded and Etienne continued "Quicksilver de leader's name is Pietro Maximoff, _il est..._"

"Maximoff… _il est_ Magneto's _fils._"

"_Oui._"

"_Je le connais. Autre chose?_"

"Avalanche, geological manipulation _il peut provoquer_ earthquakes. De Blob _est grosse et énorme _can absorb anyt'ing physical. Toad, long tongue, powerful legs."

"What 'bout de _filles_?"

"Domino _et_ Rogue, not'ing 'bout them yet."

"_D'accord_… _merci_ Etienne." Etienne made his way towards the entrance but Remy stopped him and gave him a new order. "Arrange a meeting with Maximoff, in fact invite all of dem to de mansion _s'il vous plaît._"

**…**

"Just as I thought." Pietro entered the living room where the rest of the Brotherhood was spending their evening watching TV waving an open envelope in one hand. "The Thief has just invited us to his house," glancing at Toad and Fred he added "All of us unfortunately…." Laughing he said triumphantly, "Everything is going as expected."

"Don't you thin it's too early to sing your praises Pietro?"

"Just shut up Neena… don't ruin the moment."

"And when are we going?" Rogue asked. She was extremely bored from spending all day long inside the house. They had been in New Orleans for almost two weeks by now but Pietro's order was that the girls must stay in the house no matter what.

"Dinner. Tonight." And grinning he added, "And judging by what the boy who brought the invitation had to say, Remy LeBeau is indeed very interested in the female part of the team… I hope you're ready to play your part Roguey."

Rogue snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Come on Rogue, I think we better get ready for said dinner," Neena stood up and Rogue followed her.

**XX**

**Do you liked it?? I hope you did... please tell me what you think about it. All is gladly welcomed, so don't forget to drop me a review. Please!!  
pennylane**

**Quotes:**

Domino: "_It's time we stop being victims. It's time we unite!"_  
Wolverine: "_I want you to come back."_  
Wolverine: "_Together __we can do something about it. Just come back to the X-Men."_  
Rogue: "_Why do you have to destroy his home?"_  
Quicksilver: "_Because when the Brotherhood leaves a message, it ain't a note on the door"_  
Quicksilver: "_Give Senator Kelly a little message from the Brotherhood- There's no stopping the mutants! And we're coming for him next..."_**  
All from Wolverine and the X-men episode 2. ****_Hindsight_ - Part 2.**

_And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give you every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver._**  
Judges 16:5**

**The Gambit's info Neena reads is from marvel's character bios at marvel(dot)com.  
**

**French:**_**  
**Quatre gars et deux filles_ - Four guys and two girls_  
Je le connais Autre chose?_ - I know him. Something else?_  
Il peut provoquer_ - he can create_  
Est grosse et énorme _- is fat and huge


	2. Chapter 2

Hi everybody!! I give you chapter 2, I hope you like it. I really want to thank Wanda W for helping me with my English and betaread this for me, and also TheRealRogue for her support lol!! Anyway, I haven't forget 'The girl she used to be', I'm also working on it... this semester is almost over so as soon as it ends, I'll have more time to update and all (i hope so).

I want to thank all of you who had reviewed, read and added this story to your alert list. _UltimateGammy91, TheRealRogue, Wanda W, The Duplicitous One, CBshipper, ChamberlineofMusic, Tamarai, musagirl15, PoppaSez_ and _J_... thanks!!!

A/N: I'm using _Italics _for_ thoughts/French words_.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them; they belong entirely to Marvel!!

**XX**

The Master was waiting for them in the library, that's what the young boy who opened the door told them, so at his gesture the entire Brotherhood followed the slim teenager through several corridors and halls, too many for Rogue's taste.

_Ah know he's a thief but isn't this house a little too much… Heck we're in the middle of New Orleans and ah feel Ah'm at the Palace of Versailles, well Ah would if Ah knew Versailles… This place is huge, maybe to make it up for some other lackings,_ Rogue thought with a cheeky smile at the exact instant that the young boy stopped by an ornamented oak door, knocked and waited for a response.

"_Entrez,_" a voice came from inside the room.

The boy step aside and opened the door for his Master's guests. Once the Brotherhood had entered the room, he walked away closing it behind him.

"De Brotherhood I guess, _Bienvenue._" Standing next to a large window with his back to them a tall and slender man welcomed them with a thick Cajun accent. Not waiting for a reply he turned to look at his so called guests, his unique red on black eyes jumping from one to another until he saw her.

"The Brotherhood indeed," Pietro answered noticing Gambit's instant interest in Rogue, "Pietro Maximoff, I go by the name Quicksilver." Then he introduced the rest of the team "Lance Alvers: Avalanche. Todd Tolansky: Toad. Fred Dukes: Blob and our two lovely female members Neena Thurman: Domino and Rogue."

"Rogue," Gambit walked away from the window towards the green-eyed girl and stood right in front of her. So close, too close, heck he was even invading her comfort zone. "_Et comment tu t'appelles chère?_" he asked nonchalantly.

_Damn Cajun he doesn't know about mah powers_. Rogue was uncomfortable; almost shivering due to his proximity but at the same time a part of her was enjoying it. This Gambit guy was indeed extremely handsome; his tobacco and cologne scent was enrapturing her, and his drawl, his drawl was… _Come on gal think straight._ "The name is Rogue Cajun… just Rogue. And if Ah were yah Ah wouldn't come closer, if yah value yahr little life."

"Rogue please." Pietro's voice was more like a reprimand. _For God's sake the stupid girl is going to ruin everything before it even starts._

"It's ok," Remy smiled without taking his eyes off Rogue "Looks to _moi _like Rogue is de rough type _hein_… but hey I like dat in a _fille._" He gave her a mischievous look before turning to the rest of the Brotherhood "Anyhow dinner is ready, _alors_ shall we?"

**…**

Once at dinner, Gambit talked mostly about unimportant things, after all he didn't know these people, although one of them really had gotten his attention. On the other hand Quicksilver wanted to go straight to the point so he asked his mutant powers in order to tell him about the Brotherhood's abilities. He was sure that by that time Gambit was probably aware of them but if things had gone as he planned maybe he still ignored Domino's and Rogue's. Much to Remy's dislike Rogue didn't say much, but it wasn't until Pietro mentioned her mutant power that all became clear.

_So de fille can't touch anyone… dat's surely a terrible t'ing and a shame having dat body, mais Remy loves a challenge more dan anyt'ing_, Gambit thought without taking his eyes off Rogue. She noticed his gaze and quickly turn to her dish, clearly blushed. _For Gawd's sake could he stop doing that, Ah don't like to be stared… although Ah've to admit Ah kind of like those eyes of him_.

Tired of hearing only Pietro's voice except for the few interventions of Neena, Remy asked them to stay for a drink. He wished to have a little more with Rogue but outside the seriousness of the dinning room and the terrace seemed to be the perfect scenario. Unlike Neena this girl didn't try to say anything to impress him -even if it was only to shut Pietro- during dinner and although she seemed to be rough and tough there was an entire different young woman underneath it all. He's sure of it; he could see it through her emerald eyes, under that façade laid a girl full of wishes, of joy… and he was more than willing to get through her.

"Come with _moi s'il vous plaît,_" Remy walked towards a crystal double door which leaded to a comfortable terrace. With a gesture he invited the Brotherhood to exit the room and asked a boy to bring them some drinks, "Louis a bottle of Bourbon _s'il vous plaît_, is dat fine with ya _mes amis_?"

"Absolutely," Pietro said.

"Actually," Rogue said, "Ah rather have a Merlot… if yah don't mind," she gave Remy one of the most seductive glares he'd ever seen.

"As y' wish _ma belle_," he turned to the boy "Y've heard de _fille_, bring her a Bordeaux Merlot _et_ a Bourbon _pour moi,_" Remy said almost ignoring the rest of the Brotherhood.

Rogue gave Remy a smile and walked towards the rail at the end of the terrace. Her perfect hips swaying in the most seductive way he could ever imagine, suddenly he found himself unable to peel his eyes off her. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. Her entire covered body was even more suggestive than any kind of nakedness, Remy gasped at the thought of her mere bare hand, sure that there couldn't be anything sexier… yes Remy LeBeau the infamous ladies man was gasping over a girl he couldn't touch.

A couple of hours later Pietro decided it was time to leave. Neena was obviously not having a good time, Toad was shamefully drunk and despite Lance and Fred not seeming to care about leaving or staying, since they were apparently comfortable, he was becoming upset with the Cajun hitting on Rogue. Yes, it was _his_ plan, and she was playing her role but somehow it was bothering him. Besides after dinner he hadn't had the chance to talk with him anymore since he seemed to be only interested on her and in his eyes it was enough for now. Pietro reunited the group and walked towards the end of the terrace where Rogue and Remy had spent the entire evening.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat to catch their attention. "Rogue I think we'd better go now. We surely don't want to take advantage of your hospitality Mr. LeBeau."

"I never considered you were… _Monsieur_ Maximoff."

"Do we really have to go Pietro?" Rogue asked.

_Is this girl buzzed or what? She has to seduce him not the opposite. I'm sick of this guy. _"Yes Rogue we have to. Now." He shot Rogue the _Do as I say_ type of glare and she stood from the stone railing.

"Hey wait _homme_." Remy reached to take her gloved hand forcing her to step backward, "_Je comprends_ if y' have to go _mais_ de _fille_ can stay." Pietro fiercely pierced Remy's glare with his ice blue eyes. "C'mon I'm not gonna hurt her," Remy chuckled, "and I assure y', I'll personally escort her home safely later."

Pietro was furious; Remy didn't even need his empathy to notice it. Yet he felt Rogue releasing her hand from his as she took a step towards Pietro.

"Ah… Ah don't think that's good idea. Ah better go now." She removed a white lock from her face and put it behind her ear. "Thanks for everything, though."

_Was she nervous? She used to play with her hair when she was_, Pietro noticed.

"Thank y' _ma belle,_ for y'r company." He took her gloved hand and placed a slight kiss on her knuckles.

"Come on Rogue let's go, the others are already waiting for us outside." Pietro grabbed Rogue by her arm and left the terrace. Remy didn't even make the effort to see them to the door. Even so Rogue turned her head one last time and their eyes met, she gave him a smile and he smiled back giving her a wave. As Rogue walked away the only thing she could notice where his ruby red on black eyes in the middle of the dark night.

**…**

Once the Brotherhood arrived home Rogue excused herself and went straight to her room ignoring Pietro's voice calling her. She had been a member of _his_ team for a couple of months and yet she was starting to have second thoughts. Nevertheless the idea of rejoining the X-men was as far as always… _Ah'm not one of them, ah don't feel like an X-man anymore…_ At that instant a knock at the door made her quit her thoughts.

"Come in," She said without even asking who it was.

"Rogue, we need to talk," Pietro asserted the moment he stepped into her room.

"Gawd Pietro, what the hell do yah want?" Rogue rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"As I said _we_ need to talk". He said again, closing the door behind him.

"Ah know somehow yah assumed yahrself as the leader, but can't business wait until tomorrow? Ah'm exhausted." She walked towards the bathroom, "Ah just want to go straight to bed and…"

"And what exactly Roguey?" Pietro raised his voice as he spoke, "Dream about a certain Cajun you're supposed to fascinate and yet ended up doing exactly the opposite?"

"What the fuck are yah talking about Pietro?" With a hand on her waist she rolled her eyes again; she couldn't believe this. "And how yah dare to talk to meh like that?"

"Come on Rogue, don't try to fool me," his blue eyes were full of rage and _jealousy?_ "You can't! I saw you; I saw the way you looked at him, the way you acted around him! For God's sake you have to seduce him, not fall into his charm… I chose you over Neena for one reason; your power yes, but also your intelligence and yet here you're behaving like a stupid teenager! You're putting the entire plan at risk."

"Ok first of all Ah forbid yah to talk to meh like that. Secondly, Ah'm not falling for anybody. And last but not least Ah'm kind of getting tired of yah, of this cheap leader attitude. Yah wanna be a leader then act like one, yah… yah idiot. Beat it!" Rogue walked towards the door. She already had the doorknob in her hand… but you can't be fast enough for Quicksilver, can you? In an unnoticed move he surrounded her and pinched her against the door.

"Listen to me Rogue, just do as I told you and that's it." Releasing her he opened the door and left.

"What the hell was that?" Rogue said to herself once she was alone. "Pietro, he certainly can be an ass sometimes… Ah'm not putting the damn plan in risk."

Needing some fresh air she opened the window. The mere instant the cold breeze hit her face and entered the room she felt some kind of relief, the New Orleans nights somehow reminded her of the ones by the Mississippi. As her hair blew lightly in the wind and her white locks curled around her forehead, Rogue sat in the rail of the little balcony and sighed. What was she doing? This place didn't feel like home and the Brotherhood certainly did not feel like family.

"Ah'm not putting the plan at risk," Rogue said to herself. "And Ah'm certainly not falling for that Cajun. Anyway, how can Ah… Ah don't even know him." She sighed and remained in silence, just watching the stars. She was so confused and not only because of him, but because of everything. Every recent event in her life, since that fateful afternoon when half of the Institute blew up she hasn't feel home or safe anymore, more like lost and alone…

Lost in her thoughts and staring at the vast sky she didn't notice a pair of demonic red eyes hidden in the garden behind a big tree, studying her, memorizing her… When she noticed it was too late, a tall slim figure was standing right in the balcony next to her.

"Miss m' _chère_? 'Cause I certainly do miss y'."

"Gambit!" She said evidently surprised by his late visitor.

"I prefer Remy _chère_, especially said by a _belle femme_ like y'," he said seductively. "Y' know Rogue, personally I don' like dat leader of y', _mais_ y'r different… y' are hard to forget _petite_, I wasn't able to get y' out of my head."

"Yah… yah can't be here," she was nervous, he could tell. "If he sees yah, yah're dead and ah'm dead… and."

"Don' worry _chère_, just came to check on y'." His red on black eyes fixed on her emerald green ones. "And mebbe get a goodnight kiss…" He leaned towards her, his warm fingers lightly touching her covered arms. The feeling of his touch sent shivers all the way down her spine and despite her desire to move away from him she find herself unable to.

_Click._ She heard a little sound, and felt a certain cold metal object around her neck. Remy grabbed her hands firmly, stopping her from moving, almost paralyzing her and before she was able to say or do something he crushed his lips on hers, kissing her lightly. As their lips moved together and the kiss deepened, he pulled her closer, releasing her hands from his grip. He ran his hand from her back to her waist and she ran her own through his messy hair. Gambit wrapped his arms around her tighter as he became lost in the sensation of her kiss; their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together.

Remy felt Rogue smile against his lips and leaning his forehead against hers, he smiled back. His hands were now firmly on her waist and at that exact moment when all seemed to be possible he decided she has to be his, no matter how…

"I'll leave y' alone now _ma chère_." Remy stepped back, moving his body away from Rogue but not releasing her hand. He noticed some kind of doubt on her eyes and added, "_mais_ y' don' have to be worry, I'll be back."

"Ah wasn't swamp rat." She said in a chuckle.

"Sure y' weren't…" he added nonchalantly. "_Bonne nuit chérie_." He said before jumping from the balcony and disappeared in the dark night.

A startled yet excited Rogue touched her own lips as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. Then she quickly put her other hand around her neck, the collar was gone, she hadn't even noticed when he removed it.

_For Gawd's sake, think straight gal! Yah're here to carry out a plan and that's all. Don't let a pair of gorgeous eyes fool yah, after all he's a thief; the fact that he kissed yah doesn't mean he cares about yah, just focus on the damn collar and that's it. Don'cha remember? Yah've already trusted and lost Logan. Yah're by yahrself. Girl, don't trust no one, never again… _

**XX**

Please don't forget to drop me a review :D

Quote:

_L__ooks to me like Rogue's up to no good... but hey, I like that in a girl._  
From X-men Evolution, Dark Horizons. Ok I changed it a little, but I'm sure you noticed it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh my Gosh... I'm so sorry for absolutely forgetting this fic and all of you who are reading it, shame on me!!! Truth is, keeping it up it's getting harder than I thought. I really want to keep it well written and focused on the original plot, as I don't want to fail any of you. Anyway, here's the new chapter (finally) which I hope you liked it... I really want to thank all of you who had read, reviewed, and added it to your alert and/or favorite list, and especially to Wanda W for helping me with the beta-read, as I said before, if you're enjoying and liking the story is largely because of her!! I maybe shouldn't be doing this now -since I'm at work- but what the hell my boss isn't here... btw I just finished reading UltimateGammy91's '_Just Friends_****' and I absolutely recommend it to you all, so go and read it now!!**

**Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!**

**XXXX**

**Chapter 3.**

-_Few weeks later_-

Master of Louisiana's Thieves Guild, Remy LeBeau, closed the door of the library behind him and walked towards the big wooden desk. The pressure of being the chosen heir for the title of Master didn't even compare at all to the difficulty of dealing with the 'feelings' he was developing for that Rogue girl.

He was sitting by the big window, a glass of Bourbon in one hand and a cigarette in the other, thoughtfully until he was interrupted by the voice of a man. A man Remy has heard the moment he entered the room, even if he didn't make any noise -well trained thief-. The said man, who was wearing a black suite and a purple satin scarf, walked towards Remy and poured himslef a drink before taking a seat beside the Master.

"So," Jean-Luc said to his son. "You saw dat mutant _fille_ again last night _hein_. What was her name?"

"Rogue."

"Rogue," said Jean-Luc. "Why her?"

"What do y' mean _père_?"

"Y' know what I mean son; y're 'visiting' her a lot, ain't y?"

"_Non_, I'm visiting the Brotherhood of Mutants... this could be an important and powerful alliance."

"To de Guild or to y'?"

"What are y' implying Jean-Luc? Is dis 'cause I'm a mutant?"

"Y' know it has never had to do with dat Remy," said Jean-Luc without ignoring the fact that his son has called him by his name. "And again son, y' know what I mean… stop avoiding de fact dat y're more interested in dat _fille_ dan you would like to admit."

"Well... I might be."

Jean-Luc laughed aloud. "Some suitor!"

"Is dere any problem?" Gambit asked defiant.

"Dat poor girl," said Jean-Luc. "Y're incapable of fidelity son. Y've always been."

Remy's crimson eyes brightened with fury at his father's words. How could he? Of all the members of the Guild, Jean-Luc was the person he trusted the most and therefore he expected him to be more understanding, after all he was HIS son.

Gambit scrutinized his father, his voice more serious than before. "Dis one is different."

"And how would dat be?"

"Don' know... I just feel it. It's not just her beauty. It's... it's..."

Jean-Luc laughed again at his son's lack of words.

"Somet'ing surely y' can't understand."

"C'mon Remy don' be dat hard on y'r old _père_. I used to be in love with y'r _mère_." Said Jean-Luc sighing at the memory of his beloved, deceased wife. "It's just dat... y' don' know her."

"I know what I need to, _père_." Jean-Luc watched his younger son's face, and felt a deep kinship. For a moment, his son showed him the mature man he never expected to know. This Rogue girl seemed to be an extremely important issue for him. Prudently, he decided to leave him alone.

"I'll be careful on dat _mon fils_." Said Jean-Luc as he exited the room, leaving Remy alone with his thoughts… his thoughts and the seeds of doubt his father has just sown in his already mixed-up head.

Taking a deep breath, Gambit walked towards the large white-framed window behind the ebony desk and stood still, staring at the brilliant moon. Jean-Luc had to be wrong, he didn't even know Rogue the way he did. But again how much did he truly know her. She seemed to be an honest girl, yet she was indeed working for Maximoff, wasn't she? And there was something more… regarding business, Jean-Luc, was never wrong.

The slight remembrance of Rogue sent him back to the night he met her. That first time he laid eyes on her, when he knew the southern beauty was far more than a maiden in distress, so to speak. No, that girl… there was something more about her. During the time of knowing her, he had become somehow addicted to those expressive eyes. Her glare, he'd notice, used to tell more than it said, and he had to admit that she was hiding something. Nevertheless, as much as he refused to admit it, he was falling for her…

Alone in the darkly lit room, Remy LeBeau sighed deeply. The moonlight cast a faint yellow glow, not strong enough to define his features entirely. Surrounded by shadows the so-called 'ladies man' hummed.

_Farmer John, I'm in love with your daughter. Yeah the one, with champagne eyes... _(Neil Young)

**...**

Drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair, Pietro studied Rogue's features. "Rogue, I'll ask you this one more time. Have you seen the inhibitor collar?"

"Nah, Ah haven't." Rogue lied.

Clearly disgusted, Pietro shook his head at her words. He was no fool and that girl was hiding something. He stood up, walked around his desk and knelt in front of Rogue's chair to have a better look at her face. "Rogue," he whispered. He was so close. Rogue could feel his warm breathe brushing her cheeks as he leaned into her face. Rogue closed her eyes and the remembrance of Remy hit her hard and betrayed her. She opened them and found her gloved hand over Pietro's; his intense gaze made her shiver as she realized what she was doing, yet she didn't make a move, neither did he. The space between them was less than an inch, and she could feel her heart beating faster. The man facing her was not Remy LeBeau, and yet he was making her blush. In that exact moment the door opened and a confused Domino froze at the scene in front of her.

"Sorry for interrupting you guys." Said Neena.

"No... you haven't," mumbled Pietro as he stood up. "What is it Neena?"

"Here Rogue, this came for you." She extended her hand and Rogue took the letter.

"Oh, thank yah," mumbled Rogue.

"Who could that be?" said Pietro ironically.

"Remy..." whispered Rogue, whose excitement was evident. Rearranging herself a little she looked at Pietro, trying to hide her feelings. "Gambit is asking me for dinner at his manor tonight," she said unable to hide her thrill. "Alone..."

"What?" Pietro scowled. "He can't... you can't."

"Well, if emphasizing it in his letter wasn't enough." Neena handed Rogue a package. "He also sent you this." Rogue opened it and found a beautiful dark green dress, and long black silk gloves that matched the gown perfectly.

Pietro couldn't help to feel jealous. He couldn't let himself to lose absolute control of the situation and if Rogue's feelings began to get involve then it was possible that his so called control could be lost. So, he decided to confront Rogue once and for all. The girl was insecure and he was sure he could make her hesitate.

"Well Rogue, the thief is falling in love with you..." said Pietro faking indifference.

"Ah... Ah wouldn't say that." Rogue mumbled nervously.

"Don't you see darling. Love makes a man," Pietro emphasized his next words by raising his voice a little. "_Any man_, extremely vulnerable."

Rogue stared at him, lost in the meaning of his words and their link with Gambit.

"How do you like this new control, beauty?" He asked, and gave Rogue a piercing look accompanied by a slight caress on her face. The action didn't pass unnoticed by Neena, but she decided it was better to ignore it.

"At first Ah confess, Ah didn't like it so much," Rogue moved away from Pietro and that gaze she was beginning to find someway intriguing, and grabbing firmly the given dress, she focused her mind on the thief. "Ah didn't care for him; but now Ah... Now Ah..." She found herself unable to end, as she couldn't find the words to explain the way she was beginning to feel about him.

"Rogue, it would be wise for you not to be fooled by your own masquerade." Pietro said seriously. "It is your duty to use his love to our advantage. Remember?"

At that moment Neena, decided to intervene. "Pietro is right Rogue. You must not forget our main goal. We've been here for three weeks now and you haven't showed us any result." Turning towards Pietro she added. "Or this mission is evidently pointless since the thief is never gonna gave her that damn collar. Or..." she looked at Rogue and with a little chuckle, she added. "She evidently isn't capable to achieving it."

"Look Domino," Rogue faced her teammate. "Ah don't like to be pushed, and Ah'll handle the situation with the Cajun the way Ah prefer to." Rogue smiled, crossing her arms over her chest, she shifted her weight onto one foot, as her hip stuck out on the side. "And yah know what? Ah'm capable of fulfilling any task... maybe Ah just don't want to."

"I knew it! I know you're falling for him, aren't you?"

"Well missy, that's none of yahr fuckin' business!"

"Ladies stop it!" Pietro said raising his voice over the girl's. "Rogue, I'm just gonna say this thing once," he said giving Rogue a threatening look. "We're here for one thing, that fucking collar and you'll get it the way we've planned it. No more bullshit. No more fooling around." Pietro began to shout, pounding his fists on the desk. "You'll undress in front of that stupid thief if it's necessary, but listen to me, we're not gonna leave this damn city without the inhibitor!"

"Hey," Rogue shouted back. "Yah want it so bad? Then get it yahrself jackass! Ah'm done." She turned around and made her way towards the exit, but obviously she wasn't as fast as he was. In less than a second, Pietro grabbed Rogue by the arms and pinched her against the wall.

"Listen Rogue, I want that collar on my desk by tomorrow," he said furiously. "I've promised it to my father and I won't," he raised his voice, "I WILL NOT fail him... I'm not the weak Maximoff!!!" His blue eyes were full of rage, and the ferocity of his look hit Rogue even more hard that his strong grip or the beating against the wall. She didn't say a word; neither did Neena. They both stood in a shocked silence as Pietro left the room.

"You better do as he said," Neena finally said. "You little _X-girl_ (the name Neena used to mock and tease Rogue), don't have an idea who Pietro Maximoff can really be." Rogue stared at her with both confusion and anger.

"You wanna be part of us, don't you?" Neena smiled triumphantly. "Well welcome to the Brotherhood of Mutants. You're playing with the big boys now Rogue, nobody around here cares about your feelings. We're no X-men. We make no friendships. And if you don't do as you have to, or fail... nobody is gonna cheer you up, or hug you to make you feel all right, quite the opposite," said Neena, leaving the room.

Rogue didn't know how to feel. It hadn't turned out well with the X-men and things with the Brotherhood weren't working out either. So, maybe she was the problem, maybe she was the one who couldn't commit to one ideology or team. Maybe she was meant to be a loner, after all wasn't her power enough proof.

Rogue left the room and went to her bedroom. Throwing the box and the dress within in the corner, she began to change her clothes. It was time to leave. No, it was time to fulfill the mission, achieve the task and get that stupid collar for once and for all. Rogue chose a pair of black skinny jeans, black long sleeve shirt with an olive green short sleeve over it, olive gloves and a purple scarf and pulled her hair back in a high ponytail. Then, she climbed down the window, exiting the house without telling anyone. She was determined to do it, so she headed for the Thieves Guild manor with one thing in mind the collar inhibitor. However as she walked through the dark streets her mind was more and more fixed on something else. Remy's eyes, and that passion within them, that pierced her. His scent every moment he embraced her. The taste of his lips and the warmth of his touch… Was she ready to _betray_ him? Why not? He was a mutant too, so he must be aware of how hard survival could be, and as a thief he certainly didn't trust any one, so how would she be different. But what if… what if he meant all the things he said, and really cared about her? Was she ready to lose that in order to please Pietro?

**...**

-_New York_-

After weeks of using Cerebro, Emma Frost hasn't found him. Logan was furious but knew it wasn't her fault. For some reason the mutant known as Gambit hadn't used his powers so due to that locating him was being almost impossible. Then, finally Emma perceived a slight sign of mutant activity. Powers described as Gambit's were used for an instant somewhere in Louisiana. Emma concentrated, using all her power in order to find the thief that got the collar inhibitor made by Forge.

"Logan?" said the blonde taking Cerebro off. "I've found him."

Logan who was standing behind her, raised his face but his glare showed no emotion, "Great Frost, where is he?"

"Louisiana, New Orleans, the French Quarter."

"Good."

A few minutes later the regrouped X-men were having a meeting in what used to be Xavier's office. The mahogany desk had been moved all the way back; Logan believed it was nobody but the Professor's place and the rest seemed to agree. So the so-called office was just a couple of leather couches displayed along the room framed by the ceiling-floor length bookcases. In less than ten minutes after Frost's find every single X-man -except for Forge- joined Logan and Emma. Hank McCoy, Scott Summers, Katherine Pryde, Bobby Drake, Kurt Wagner, Ororo Munroe and the still not affiliated but considering the invitation, Warren Worthington.

"Frost has found Gambit," Logan announced. "We're going to get the collar back, it's an extreme powerful device which can't fall in the wrong hands." Everybody nodded in silence so Logan continued. "Drake tell Forge to prepare the Blackbird, we're leaving today." Bobby nodded and left the room.

"Summers," Scott turned his gaze which was focused in a framed picture over Xavier's desk. It was a picture of the good old times that showed the former X-men team... especially in the face of his lost girl Jean Gray. "You'll stay in charge, if something comes up you know what to do." Scott nodded.

"Frost, Kurt and Pryde you are coming with me. Your abilities suit this mission."

Once everybody had left the room, Logan stopped Scott grabbing him by his left arm. "Summers, if the Professor wants to make contact with us from the future, talk with him, but just you. I count on you... after all you were once the X-men leader."

A slight smile grew on Scott's face for an instant, the kind of smile that suggested the remembrance of better times now gone, and putting his hand over Logan's shoulder he managed to say, "Good luck."

"Wish it to that bloody Cajun coz I'm gonna rip him up."

**XX**

_Please, please, let me know what you think!! All suggestions, comments and inputs are gladly welcomed ;) and don't forget I'm still dealing with my english writing..._

_A/N: the conversation between Rogue, Pietro and Neena, when he said love makes a man extremely vulnerable and Rogue's answer about how she feels about Remy are inspired by the series 'The Tudors'. At the beginning of season one, Anne Boleyn's dad and uncle asked her to charm the king and when she confessed the way she's caring about the him, her father told her not to __be fooled by her own masquerade, as he and her uncle want to take advantage of Henry's love for Anne... tremendous series btw!!! (jonathan rhys meyers is so gorgeous). _

_Review. Review. Review!!! Please!!!_


	4. Chapter 4

**I want to thank all of you who had read, reviewed and added this fic to your alert and/or favorite list. I'm really glad you're enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it (as hard as it could be). I also want to thank the unsigned reviewers since I can't reply you the other way and finally Wanda W for helping me with the beta-read, if you're reading this is largely because of her help!!**

**Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!**

**Recapitulating: the X-men are on their way to New Orleans since Emma Frost was able to locate Remy. Pietro told Rogue to get the collar once and for all (also he's kind of jealous of her 'relation' with Remy) and Rogue is confused because the way she's feeling for Remy, her 'loyalty' to the BOM and the promise she made to herself when Logan walked away from the X-men: trust no one. As for Remy he's dealing with her feelings for Rogue, the entire BOM and his role as Master of the Guild... ok now here we go!!  
**

**XXXX**

**Chapter 4.**

_-New York-_

Once Logan, Emma, Kitty and Kurt were aboard the Blackbird heading to New Orleans, Kitty decided to ask how they're suppose to retrieve a stolen collar from a master of thieves. Being the one who located Remy using Cerebro, Emma took the pilot seat, since she was -so to speak- the only one that 'knew' the place they were heading.

"So what's the plan?" she asked in general but addressing Logan.

"I don't have one."

"What?" Kitty unlocked her seat belt in order to lean over Logan's copilot seat. "What do you mean you don't have one?"

"I mean that I don't have one."

"Logan," said Kurt joining the conversation. "You know we're about to crash into somebody's house uninvited."

"We've never needed an invitation," Logan said calmly. "Besides, I don't need one, that thief has something that belongs to us."

"Well yeah but... isn't this guy a member of some kind of Thieves Guild or something?" Kitty insisted, "what if the entire house is full of thieves? I mean they must be good fighters."

"They might be trained thieves but we're X-men, kid."

"It's their territory not ours," said Kurt.

"Hmph," Logan snorted. "Ok, you wanna plan, here it is. As soon as we get there Frost will telepathically give us a map of the place. Pryde you get us in. I know the guy, his scent will guide me... once we get him, recovering the collar will be a piece of cake."

"I wanna see that," said Kitty with a skeptical chuckle that made Logan turn his head and look at Kitty and Kurt.

"Listen, this doesn't have to be any different from our past missions. We get in, we find the collar, and I beat up that filthy Cajun who fooled me... we'll be back in New York for tomorrow's breakfast." After saying that Logan rearranged himself in his seat and didn't say another word. While Kitty gave Kurt a '_whatever he says_' look as she invited him to read her lips.

_He totally can't overcome the fact that this Gambit guy fooled him_, Kitty smiled and Kurt smiled back, squeezing her hand in response to her little mocking.

Kitty fixed her eyes in Kurt's hand and then turned to the window with a little sigh. The well-mannered and nice Kurt Wagner, God knew how much Kitty has missed him. After a rough beginning Kurt became one of her best friends and one of the team members she cared for the most, well he and Rogue, but things haven't ended up well with her, even so, Kitty truly missed her and she was sure that Kurt did too, after all she was his foster sister. Her sigh proved how much she missed the old days...

**...**

Standing in front of a huge wall Kitty and Kurt waited for Logan's directions. Emma, her hands over her temples and eyes closed was trying to find Gambit's presence, but somehow it was almost impossible. The manor was huge, elegant and beautiful; Kitty didn't expect a Thieves headquarters to be like that.

"I think I got him?" Emma finally said.

"Frost what's wrong?" Logan noticed the confusion in Emma's eyes.

"He's not alone..."

"Hello... Thieves Guild!" Kitty said in a mock.

"I'm not talking about humans," Emma said turning her glare towards Logan. "In fact I don't understand... he has like this kind of protection over his mind. I'm totally unable to get in, I'm only perceiving his presence through another's mutant mind."

"What do you mean?" Logan asked.

"Rogue is in there... with him."

Kitty raised her glare almost piercing Kurt's eyes with it. Clearly this was the last thing they expected. What was Rogue doing in New Orleans and specifically in the Thieves Guild quarters? And does that mean that the Brotherhood was around? Apparently ignoring Emma's words, Logan ordered her to give them an idea of the property, and proceeded with the initial plan.

"Ok now we all have an approximate idea of how the interiors are." Logan said as he looked at them. "Kurt take me where he is," with a snort he corrected himself. "Where they are." Kurt nodded and grabbed Logan's arm, ready to teleport them.

"Frost, Pryde," said Logan turning towards them. "Wait here, I've the feeling he has the collar with him right now, but if he doesn't I'll contact you and you two will look for it. Stay alert, this could get tricky."

_-Inside the Thieves' manor-_

As soon as Rogue arrived, she asked to see Remy. Her head was a mess, she was utterly nervous as she kept playing with her fingers. It had taken a lot for her to finally accept that Remy LeBeau and the feelings she was experiencing were much more important than Pietro Maximoff, his arrogant and superior father, and her supposed loyalty to the Brotherhood of Mutants. She didn't want to lose Remy so she was determined to tell him the true reason why they were in New Orleans and why she began to flirt with him to begin with. Rogue considered that it could be a little late to be honest, but she wanted to believe that a thief could understand. Besides not everything was a lie and a scheme, her feelings were sincere, as somehow at some point she had fallen deeply for him.

So here she was sitting on a cozy couch, waiting for him in the same library she had met him weeks before. Then the door opened and the tall and slender figure of Remy LeBeau entered the room.

"_Chère_... y're early. Can't wait for de night to meet _moi_?" Remy said as he placed a slight kiss in her gloved hand. "Y' ain't wearing de dress I sent, though."

"Cut it out Cajun."

"I thought we'd gotten passed de rudeness Rogue," said Gambit without loosing her hand and fixing his red on black eyes on her green ones.

"Listen," she took off her hand from his grip. "Ah've something to tell yah..." The nervousness was betraying her, and she began to play with locks of her hair in order to fake a non-existing calm. "And... and Ah don't have much time."

"Tell m' den _chère_," said Gambit nonchalantly, he couldn't help noticing her anxiety. Something must have gone wrong with that Pietro guy, yet he wanted to discover whatever she might be hiding as his father had said. "Y' know y've caught all m' attention since de first time I saw y'."

Rogue was about to speak, to tell and explain to him everything when a too well known rough voice caught her attention.

"Well, well, well... isn't this curious." From the corner of the room the silhouettes of Logan and Kurt emerged from the shadows, leaving a little cloud with sulfur smell behind them.

"Logan?" asked Rogue astonished.

"Surprised to see me Rogue?" asked Logan, before turning then his eyes towards Gambit. "What about you Cajun?"

"Well Mr. Logan to be honest I expected y' would pay _moi_ a visit some time..." Remy gave him a cocky smile. "_Mais_, I certainly thought it would be sooner," then added in a chuckle. "Took y' a little long to find dis Cajun, _hein_?"

"Save it bub," said Logan, and a distinctive _sinkt_ echoed in the room as his adamantium claws popped out. "You know why I am here."

Kurt decided to remain in the back, as the mere sight of his sister working with the 'enemy' was still too painful for him to handle the way Logan was doing. A way he despite it all he didn't like and found rude.

"What I really wasn't expecting was to find you here Rogue," said Logan scowling at her. "This is how you play it now... the seductress?" Ignoring the presence of Gambit and the reason why they were here, he started to harass Rogue. In Logan's eyes the opportunity was too good to let it pass. "That's what Quicksilver told you to do? Kind of low, don't you think?" Rogue didn't say a word, her eyes jumping from Logan to Gambit. "Anyhow, I'm gonna tell you one thing, Gumbo here," he said with a gesture, "isn't that easy to fool... quite the opposite."

"Ah... Ah never intended to fool him." Rogue mumbled.

"Really? Then what are you doing here? What is the entire Brotherhood doing here?" He asked brusquely. Rogue was becoming more and more upset. She bit her lower lip, and fighting hard the upcoming tears she lowered her gaze. "I must say I've got to admire Maximoff's reasoning, sending the untouchable girl to seduce the thief is indeed a smart way to get it."

"Ah... He didn't send meh," raising her glare she fixed her moisty eyes on Remy's ones. "Please Remy don't listen to him."

"It's kind of late for dat _chère_," said Gambit. "Besides y' were here for one t'ing, weren't y'?" He asked, trying to get the truth from her and remembering his father's words. "I never liked de way Pietro acted 'round y', now I kind of get why he was dat obsessive and manipulative."

"Don't be flattered Cajun," Logan intervened. "You weren't the only one fooled by the Brotherhood through little miss Rogue here."

"What are y' talking 'bout?" said Remy giving them a questioning look.

"You didn't tell him how you played us, Rogue? Faking regret and convincing us you weren't like them, only to set up us at Senator Kelly's press conference, while you and your buddies attacked Worthington's house."

"Ah never wanted to hurt Warren's father it was just..." Rogue covered her face with her hands and shook her head in order to get more control over her feelings as the images of the Worthington house in flames came to her mind. "Ah didn't know exactly what the Brotherhood planned to do."

"Oh but you do now, don't you Rogue?"

"Yes, Ah... Ah do but that doesn't mean Ah agree with the way Pietro..."

"Save it kid. Somehow you Brotherhood knew about the collar, so here you're wanting to steal it." Logan insisted.

"Remy please yah have to believe meh..." Rogue pleaded Remy and unable to hold it any longer the tears started to run down her face.

"I wouldn't trust her if I were you Cajun. But anyway enough of this bullshit you know why I'm here, I want the collar and I want it know."

"Uhm Logan," said Kurt as the little figure of Katherine Pryde holding Emma Frost by the hand phased through the wall.

"Pryde what are you doing?" Logan asked confused, and at that exact moment a group of four armed men entered the room.

"Don' move or I shoot de _petite_." One of the men said as he grabbed Kitty from behind, just to notice how the girl phased his arm and one blue creature appeared from nowhere and disappear alongside with the girl whom a minute before he was grabbing. The other men cocked their guns ready to pull the trigger.

"_Arrête_!!" Remy ordered. "Everyt'ing is ok Etienne," he said addressing one of the men. "Emile don y' dare to harm de girl!" he pointed at the man who grabbed Kitty before. Then addressing to the last of the men, the one who was by the door he added, "our guests are leaving. Bernard escort dem to de door." Before they left, Remy opened his desk's drawer and threw Logan a little black box.

"_Alors_, _va-t'en_!! (Now, go away) standing by his desk, with his back to the rest of them, including Rogue, Remy yelled.

Satisfied with the success of retrieving the collar that he held now in his hands and escorted by Remy's men Logan left the room (not that he could do much else), followed by the rest of the X-men. Kitty turned back one last time and looked at a sobbing Rogue who knelt down beside a large couch, she tried to say something to her even if she wasn't sure of what but Kurt stopped. Putting an arm around her shoulders, they walked away together. He didn't need to say anything, Kitty knew that Kurt was feeling bad for Rogue too, that it tore his heart apart to see her sister like that. Lost, confused, sad and defeated…

Once Rogue and Remy were left alone in the room, she walked towards him and grabbed his left hand with both of her gloved ones. "Remy... Ah came to tell yah the truth. Pietro does want the collar but the moment Ah met yah..." she pulled him, forcing him to face her but he didn't move. "Ah knew Ah could never go ahead with..." it was impossible, Remy didn't want to look at her, so she lowered her gaze and closed her eyes.

"Y' almost fooled m' _chère_." He finally spoke and turned to see her, standing in front of him. "I noticed there's was somet'ing you weren't telling _moi mais_ I didn' expect dis... I was actually falling in love with y'... Y' seemed so different." Remy sighed.

"Please Remy yah've got to believe meh," Rogue said without loosing her grip on Remy's hand. "What Logan told yah is true but this is different, yah're different... back then Ah hated him and Ah wanted to be as far from the X-men as Ah could, betraying them seemed to be the right thing to do, later Ah found that Ah did that more to prove something to myself than a stupid loyalty to the Brotherhood." She began to tremble as the sobs came back. "It didn't work out well, as yah could see Logan still hates meh, and mah former teammates... mah best friend and mah own brother didn't trust meh anymore. But... but yah have to!"

"I wish I could Rogue... I really do." Remy wrapped Rogue in his arms holding her tightly. She buried her face in his chest and they stayed like that for a few minutes, lost in a tender yet painful embrace. Her scent was as sweet as he remembered, and the tenderness of her hug almost made him weak at the love he was feeling for her.

"Ah'm telling yah the truth, Remy please." Rogue managed to say almost convinced that he believed her. But at that instant she felt his body move away as he broke the embrace and turned his back on her.

"Y' don't have to go back with de Brotherhood _ma_ _chère_... _mais_ y' can't stay here."

"Remy?"

"Y' know de way." said Remy exiting the room and leaving her behind, alone.

**XXXX**

And that's all for now. I hope you liked it please don't forget to tell me what you think, come on guys let me know! drop me a review!! I'm working on the next chapter, and I really hope to update this soon.

take care :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello!! Thank to all of you who had read, reviewed and added this fic to your alert and/or favorite list. Also, I want to thank the unsigned reviewers since I can't reply you properly, and finally my dear beta-reader Wanda W for helping me.**

**A/N: I do hope you enjoy this and kind of makes it up for the last one -I'm talking about Remy and Logan's reaction- as I said to some of you, Logan and Remy truly regret their decisions and words (each one in his own way). **

**Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!**

**XXXX**

**Chapter 5.**

_-A few hours later-_

Remy LeBeau, Master of the Thieves Guild, poured himself another Bourbon and settled back into his study chair. Jean-Luc observed without saying a word, he could notice the anxiety in his son's gaze. Meanwhile unaware of the seriousness of the previous event and the current state of Remy's feelings, Henri, Etienne and Emile were just having some drinks and a chat as they usually did at night.

"I can't believe y' gave dem de collar Remy." Emil's said as he, Jean Luc and Etienne joined Remy at the living room.

Gambit chuckled, "Y' have much to learn _mon jeune cousin_," he said as he gave Jean-Luc a mocking look, making Emil turn his gaze towards his uncle and gasp in disbelief as Remy took out a little black velvet bag from his trench coat with the white collar which glowed in the middle of the dark room in it.

"French forgers, de bests in de world!" Etienne said with a smile as Remy handled him the original collar. "I myself contact Monsieur Renoir for dis little job."

"Remy's right Emil," Jean-Luc said in a calmed voice, putting his hand over his nephew's shoulder, "_mais_ I'm sure you'll learn everyt'ing you need."

"Mebbe… _mais_ I'll never be as good as Remy." Emile said as he ran a hand through his hair unable to hide his amazement, "_Je suis sûr!_" (I'm sure)

"Don' say dat Emil," Remy said, as his red on black eyes darkened and his gaze got lost in the dark Bayou sight framed by the large window. "Y' never know when de slightest t'ing can fool y' as a kid… and hurt y' as y' swore y' would never allow."

Not really understanding Remy's words, Emil gave Jean-Luc a '_what the hell he's talking about_' look. The once Master of the Guild, allowed the role of comprehensive father took over the insensitive cold hearted thief one. And with a hand order Etienne and Emil left the room.

"Remy?" Jean-Luc asked approaching his son.

"Don' Jean-Luc… I don' want a lecture." Lighting a cigarette Remy turned to meet his father. "I already know what y're gonna say, '_I told y' so_'," he humphed. "Never thought I would hear it after all de heartbreaking Bella issue."

"I wasn't gonna said dat, though." Remy's eyes widened in doubt. "Y' love dat _fille_ son." Remy was about to say something, but before he had time to protest, Jean-Luc continued. "Don't deny it. I'm your _père_ and a well trained thief myself, I know to see behind de façades, to read de looks on peoples faces… y' love her Remy."

"Since you put it dat way… _Oui. je l'aime_." Remy let the cigarette's ashes fell on the rug. "_Mais_ what's de point of dat now, de _fille_ lied to m'."

"Like y' never lied before… y' Thieves Master."

"Don' mess up de t'ings Jean-Luc, y' know what I mean."

"_Oui_, I do… _mais_ I also know how wrong y're by judging her wit'out hearing her own version of de events."

"Listen at y'!" Remy said rolling his eyes. "Yesterday you told m' otherwise!"

"Yesterday I haven't saw her kneeling in y'r office pleading at y' between sobs." Gambit remained in silence. "I saw de look on de _fille's yeux_… she was sincere, she cares 'bout y' _mon fils_."

"_Je ne sais pas père_. Dat Wolverine _homme_… he seemed very upset with her, his words were full of anger. I don' believe he was lying just to bother her."

"So what! She left de X-men for some reason, _et_ dat is not of y'r business."

"Is she still here?" Remy asked unsure of what to do if Rogue was still in the manor, yet wanting her to be there.

"_Non_, she left about two hours ago… I met her at the hallway."

Remy raised his eyes. His questioning gaze said more than a thousand words. He wanted to know if Rogue said something to his father before she left.

"_Non_… she didn't say anyt'ing." Remy turned his eyes away again. "_Mais_ her eyes… dose eyes spoke for her." Jean-Luc walked towards the door, "She was hurt Remy and dere's not'ing worst dan a hurt _femme_… you should know it by now," he said before exiting the room.

"_Oui, je sais_," Remy said putting out his cigarette.

Once he heard Jean-Luc close the door at his back, he opened the crystal-framed door and stepped into the balcony. There in the middle of the night, Remy LeBeau let go a sigh. He couldn't really believe what had just happened, and as the recent events of what seemed the longest night of his life passed by his eyes in a flash, the constant image of Rogue hit him hard. The thought of the southern belle crying in front of him made his heart ache. Not because of her but him. She might have lied but still she came to explain, and he didn't hear her. Even worse, he threw her out… no wonder she chose to leave.

Taking a deep breath, Remy LeBeau regretted the way he treated her… but it was too late now. Even so, the so called 'ladies man' admitted to himself how deeply he truly cared for Rogue and how devastated he felt right now. Because truth was he loved her.

"And she's gone -snap- just like dat. And look what she leaves behind. Gambit, Master of d' Thieves Guild, left standin' like a fool. Pain in his chest… 'cause she stole my heart… gaspin for air 'cause she took my breath away…" **(1)**

Giving one last look to the shining full moon in the sky, Gambit clenched his fists and let out a frustration moan. She was the one person he cared for the most, yet he lost her in such a fool way.

**...**

_-Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. A few days later-_

"I can't believe it!" Logan snarled making Forge to step back mumbling nonsense. He was way too scared to talk.

"That filthy thief!"

"Jeez Logan relax!" Kitty managed to say. "After all it's not that unexpected, or do you really think he was gonna give up that easy?"

"I can make a new collar," said Forge.

"No, not yet anyway," Logan added after a couple of silent minutes. "That Cajun is smarter than I would like to admit, he's not gonna give the collar to anyone just like that… after all he's also a mutant."

"Yep," said Kitty. "I'm more concerned about Rogue, though." All the eyes in the room stared at her. In an instant eight pairs of eyes were scrutinizing her. ""What?" She yelled, "I am. For God's sake did any of you saw her?" she asked turning to Emma, Logan and Kurt. Then she stood from her chair and spoke to everyone in Xavier's office. "Gambit refused to hear her at all, no matter how much she begged him. And as for Pietro and the rest of the Brotherhood, I don't even want to think how things had turned out back at their house the moment she returned empty handed!"

No one dared to say a word in Rogue's favor, not even Kurt.

"Come on Kurt, aren't you going to say anything?" Kitty said, looking for some kinf od support behind Kurt's glare. "I just can't believe you guys, she might have made the wrong decisions but… she's our friend. She used to be one of us, and I'm sure underneath it all she still is!" and with that Katherine Pryde abandoned the room slamming the door behind her. Bobby Drake hesitated an instant before he went after her. A couple of minutes later, he came back with a tearful Kitty hugged in his arms.

"Spill it Wagner," said Logan, as he smelled Kurt's feelings. "Whatever you're thinking say it."

"I don't know… I'm just not sure." Kurt stood from the leather couch he was sharing with Scott and Emma. His gaze jumped from Logan to Ororo Munroe to Hank McCoy. "I don't know… I mean, she's _meine schwester_."

"Ok, I'm sure I'm talking for everyone. I'm sorry," Emma said glaring at Wolverine, "almost everyone in this room when I say you're truly concerned about Rogue and that you all wanted to ask me about her, am I wrong?" since no one in the room -not even Logan- said a word, Emma continued. "I was able to read her mind for an instant back at the Thieves manor. She's indeed confused. Her head is a mess and I'm not talking about all her 'inner guests'."

Storm gave her some sort of disapproval look. Emma knew she wasn't her favorite teammate. "Look I know some of you don't like me and some of you don't even trust me, but what I'm telling you is true. Rogue truly cares for that Gambit guy," she hesitated about saying the next thing. She didn't know Rogue, but felt some kind of betrayal for revealing to the Southerner's former friends her feelings. God knew she would be upset if somebody told them the way she felt for Scott Summers. "She… she loves him, and felt she failed him after he found out Pietro's plan. She felt alone once again, maybe lonelier than ever and…"

"And what Emma, please tell us what she was feeling!" Kurt asked Emma, truly concerned and moved by the way his sister felt back there, and by the fact that he didn't say a word to her.

"She was upset with herself for the way she once more trusted in someone who happened to turn his back on her," saying this she fixed her blue eyes on Logan who was standing at the back of the room. "Just that this time, even though she felt some kind of betrayal… she's sure it was her fault."

"I'm going to look for her," Kurt said resolute. "I don't care if you're ok with it or not."

"And I'm going with you," Kitty said.

"If Kitty goes, I'll go too," Bobby announced.

"That boy has an utterly evident crush on the little brunette and does nothing to hide it," Emma thought to herself.

"Wait," Logan ordered. "All of you… we're going do this. But we're gonna do it the right way." He turned towards Emma. "Frost please use Cerebro to see if you can find her." Emma nodded. "The moment she finds Rogue we leave. Summers just as before you're in charge; Storm, Forge and Hank will stay here with you, under your command." Everybody were about to leave the room when Logan added, "and Frost you were wrong just in one thing. I do care about Rogue, more than any of you could even imagine…" after the group left Xavier's office leaving Logan behind standing alone by the window he said to himself, "And I'm not gonna let you down again Rogue… never."

**...**

-_New York City. Three months later_-

Rogue entered the cozy studio apartment in Greenwich Village where she had been living for the past weeks carrying a bag of groceries and closed the door behind her. It was the smallest one in the entire building and it was soberly decorated, but she didn't care, the rent was low and the location was excellent. Besides, money wasn't the problem, after years of refusing it she had finally accepted Destiny's inheritance, so she didn't even bother to look for a job, not yet anyway. Opening the fridge she started to put in the milk and cheese she had just bought and she put water to boil in order to make some tea.

It had been almost three months since she left the Brotherhood. She left her life behind the moment she left New Orleans -with that she meant her mutancy- and after all this time she hadn't used her powers not once. She left him, or rather, he walked away from her, leaving her behind but yet here she still was hanging on. She hadn't seen him in days but it seemed like years. Life after meeting Remy LeBeau wasn't the same. She wanted to feel his arms around her again, his lips crushing hers, the brightness of his red on black eyes staring at her, and his distinctive Cajun drawl just one more time, but she knew that was impossible. She lied to him and he didn't forgive her.

"It's easy to blame Pietro for something Ah agreed with in the first place. Ah could be honest with Remy the moment Ah began to have feelings for him and Ah didn't because a part of meh was sure of being part of the Brotherhood, sure of fulfill the task without letting mah feelings get involve." Rogue said to herself as she poured the boiling water into the teapot.

_-Flashback-_

"I'm sorry Rogue, I didn't get it," Pietro said rubbing his forehead in frustration. "You what?" he asked raising his voice in disgust.

"Ah said, Ah didn't get the damn collar," Rogue answered.

"And why doesn't that surprise me?" Neena's voice was full of irony.

"How the hell would Ah know that Logan was going to be there?" Rogue gave Neena a menacing glare before turning to Pietro. "Ah saw Gambit giving it to Logan right in front mah eyes. One of Gambit's men grabbed Kitty Pryde pointing a gun at her, maybe Rem… Gambit," she corrected herself, "didn't care about it as much as we thought." Rogue fought the urge to cry as she said those words, since she was the only one who knew its hidden meaning.

"And if that's true it's because of you Rogue," said Pietro. "Your job was to seduce Gambit in order to obtain the collar."

"Maybe she isn't as good as we thought," Neena pointed out. "I mean if the thief didn't gave a damn about the collar it's evidently because he doesn't give a damn for Rogue either."

"Neena please!" Pietro shut up Domino aware of the effect her words could have on Rogue. Too late, her words pierced Rogue in a way neither Pietro nor Neena even imagined. The mere idea of Remy not 'giving a damn' for her mixed with the memories of the recent events were just too much for Rogue to handle.

"Neena," Rogue fixed her eyes on the black haired girl. "Save your words… Ah'm outta here, and Ah'm not talking about the stupid room, in case yah didn't get it Ah mean you all!" Rogue turned around and walked towards the door. She was ready to leave when Pietro's hand grabbed her own forcing her to stop.

"Wait, Rogue." Pietro fixed his blue ice eyes on her green glimmering ones. "Stay…" Pietro wasn't good at showing his feelings, but his eyes spoke for him, he really meant what he said. Unfortunately for him, Rogue's feelings were already set on somebody else… a Thief that had stolen her heart.

"Ah'm sorry Pietro…" said Rogue and sighed as she removed her hand from his grip. "It just didn't turned out the way Ah believed it could… Ah'm no Brotherhood, no X-man. Ah need a time on mah own," and saying this she abandoned the room.

_-End of Flashback-_

"Gawd girl… let's see, yah told yahrself to trust no one after the way Logan left the Institute. Yah promised to never let anybody hurt yah again, how? By not letting feelings get involve, that was why the Brotherhood seemed so 'right' so to speak. And what yah did Rogue? The very first thing yah promise not to… yah trusted him, yah believed in him," Rogue sighed deeply. "Yah fell in love…" wrapping the cup with both hands, she let the heat warm them little by little as she sipped the black tea.

Day after day, Rogue insisted on assuring herself that everything was better now, but the rings under her eyes told another story. Anna Raven -as she called herself now- didn't expected much of life. After recents events she thought it was better to keep a low profile… and remain alone, since no one could hurt her that way. But, even clinging to her rough façade, her fears and insecurities tormented her, and the essence of Remy LeBeau followed her everywhere. Anna looked into her night table drawer to take the card that Remy had given her one night. The Queen of Hearts, hit her with a bunch of memories and illusions of what would never worked out anyway. Her untouchable body had always been the perfect excuse to not allow anyone to approach her. The perfect shield for her heart, so she could never get hurt, or so she believed… until she met Remy LeBeau.

"Gawd knows how much Ah miss yah Remy… Ah never though Ah could need somebody else that much until Ah met yah," a sad smile spread along Rogue's face. "To blindly love someone so much that it hurts…"

**…**

_-New Orleans Thieves Guild-_

"Wolverine," said the young man as he offered his half gloved hand -a gesture that was ignored on purpose by the Canadian- and offered his visit a seat. "To what do I own de honor _mon ami_?"

"Save the manners Cajun," said Logan rudely. The fact that they needed Gambit's help, so to speak, didn't meant he had to like him. "I'm here for one thing… rather, one person."

"One person?" Gambit's eyes sparkled with interest; maybe this could be a good agreement with major benefits.

"Rogue," said Logan.

The mere mention of her name instantly changed Gambit's look and his mind abandoned the previous thoughts as fear invaded him.

"Rogue?" full of worry, his voice betrayed his apparent composure in an instant. A detail that didn't go unnoticed. Logan didn't even need his acute smell sense to notice Remy's true concern.

"Yes, Rogue…" Logan took a deep breath as he continued. "We have looked for her for a while. Thanks to Wanda Maximoff, Pietro's sister, we know that she isn't part of the Brotherhood anymore. Even using Cerebro…"

"_Et_ y' t'ink I can find her?" Remy asked, or more interrupted Logan. "I may be de best thief on dis side of de country _mais_ if de _fille_ doesn't want to be found it's going to be impossible." He stared at Logan defiantly. "Have y' consider dat possibility… she knows de way dat Cerebro works. If she hasn't used her powers she must have a reason _homme, _not to be found."

"Save your conclusions bub," said Logan as he lighted himself a cigar. "We've found her," he said as he breathed out the smoke. "Well, Frost did. Cerebro detected her for an instant last week."

"So she used her powers?" Gambit asked. "Is she ok?"

"She's fine," said Logan. "For now at least, it wasn't exactly her power, it was Kitty Pryde's power manifesting in Rogue most probably accidentally. Anyway, she's alone and we fear that way she might be an 'easy' target for the MRD."

"And where is she? Is the MRD after her?"

"No, not yet, but we can't run any risk… she's in New York, all this time she's been there."

"And," Gambit let out a fake laugh. "Y' came all de way here to tell m' dat? If Rogue is in New York den why are y' here Logan?"

"Because as much as I hate to admit it we need you… I need you?"

"…" Gambit couldn't believe his ears, has Wolverine just said he needed him?

"She must hate me for what I've done, for what I told you before… something I now regret. Yet, I noticed that somehow she trusted you, as hard as something like trust could be coming from Rogue." Logan left his cigar in the ashtray for a moment to look right into Remy's red on black eyes. "She cared for you… as much as -I can smell it in your scent- you care for her."

Gambit gave a deep sigh, "So why me? I mean… apart from all de obvious reasons."

"I was hoping that the obvious reasons would be enough Gambit. Was I wrong?" asked Logan.

"Wolverine… you got to have honor among thieves, _vois pas_?" Gambit stood up from his chair and walked towards de big window behind his desk. "I'm a man of my word," Logan snarled at Remy's statement. "Well, most of de time." He turned towards Logan, lowering his voice as the memories hit him. "Last time I saw Rogue…"

"Yeah I know, I was there remember?"

"Let's just say I asked her to leave…" Gambit lowered his gaze fixing his eyes on the rug's designs and sighed. "The pain and ferocity in her eyes… she was hurt _homme_. She must hate _moi_ too and I… I got to assume dat still stands."

"I wouldn't blame her."

"Look who's talking?" said Gambit with a little chuckle.

"Cut it out Cajun, I already feel bad there's no need to rub it in." said Logan standing from the chair and walking towards Remy so he could face him. "Are you going to help me?"

"So, y' want me to help y' to… what exactly? I'm sure y' don' come all dis way to hire some random muscle."

"Of course not," Logan let out a laugh. "I'm not that desperate… besides I would count on Colossus for that. It's more, let's say complicated… feelings are involved."

"_Alors_, you want me because I'm someone Rogue might open de door for." Remy finally stated the obvious. Yet Logan could notice the hesitance in his words and eyes.

"Gambit, she might have said she didn't want you. But what if she needs you? What if she can't get through this on her own?" Logan told Gambit with an honesty that none of them could ever imagine considering the way they had met. **(2)**

Truth was this was more important, a subject that mattered to both far beyond the issues between them… it was Rogue the most important girl for both of them. Each one in his own way cared for that girl more than anything else. For Logan it was friendship, loyalty and paternal care. For Remy LeBeau it was love.

**XXXX**

gosh kind of long, anyway that's all for now... please don't forget to review, I really like to hear what you think about this fic!!!!! Also I want to be honest about the update, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be post, since I'm working on my thesis, but I promise to do my best and update asap.  
take care  
-pennylane-

Quotes:

**(1) **_And she's gone, snap, just like dat. And look what she leaves behind - Gambit prince of t' Thieves Guild, left standin' like a fool, pain in his chest...cause she stole my heart… gaspin' for air...cause she took my breath away..._**  
From X-men #45 (changed prince into master to fit the fic)**

_So why me? I mean… apart from all de obvious reasons.  
I was hoping that the obvious reasons would be enough Gambit. Was I wrong?  
Professor, you got to have honor among thieves, vois pas? I'm a man of my word, most of de time. Las time I saw Rogue, she said she had some things to thing through alone. She asked me not to follow her. I got to assume dat still stands._

_A bodyguard? You come all dis way to hire some random muscle?  
Of course not.  
Alors, you want me because I'm someone Rogue might open de door for.  
Remy, she said she didn't want you. But what if she need you? What if she can't get through this on her own?_**  
X-men Legacy #220 (change the Professor for Logan and other things in order to adapt it to the fic)**


	6. Chapter 6

Hi, I really want to thank everyone of you who had read, reviewed and added this to your favorite/alert list. I also want to thank the unsigned reviewers since I can't reply you properly, every single review means a lot!!! finally Wanda W, my dear beta-reader and author of x-men evo romy fic 'Just another day' if you don't know it yet go and read it, it's really good.

Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!

_XXXX_

Rogue walked into her apartment and locked the door. For the past few weeks she'd been having the feeling of being followed. She hadn't seen anyone or anything strange though, but the sensation of being watched had become some sort of a constant lately. She was a tough girl, the type of girl who hardly ever got scared but the recent news about the MRD raids, the so called Sentinel Project, President Kelly's declarations about mutants and Magneto's stand about it weren't the kind of things to be taken lightly, especially if you were an incognito mutant on your own.

Walking through the dark, Rogue played her answering machine. No new messages, why didn't that surprise her? She took off her shoes and coat, before dropping her keys into a purple crystal bowl on the center of her coffee table. With the lights still off, she entered her darkened bedroom and was just about to take off her top when a distinctive voice cut her off.

"Keep going _ma belle._ I certainly will enjoy de sight."

"Rem- Gambit?" Rogue corrected herself and called him by his codename. "What the hell are yah doing? Why are yah sitting in mah bedroom in the dark?" she said as she adjusted her shirt and turned to face him. "And in the middle of the night?"

"It was too crowded in _ma maison_… couldn' sleep."

"Ah'm not kidding Swamp Rat."

"Neither am I." Remy waited for some kind of response, but not having one he continued. "Thieves Guilds meeting… and I believed we're past de codenames and de pet names… Anna."

The mere mention of her **real** name said by him, made her shiver and she raised her eyes in order to look at him. However, not having turned the lights on yet, Rogue was only able to see his red on black eyes. The unique and well-known sparkle of them caught her off guard and for a moment she got lost in the intensity of his stare, unable to speak.

"Ah- how do yah?"

"Know y'r real name? C'mon _petite_… I'm one of de best thieves in de world. I can have access to anyt'ing I want."

"So Ah've heard," she said trying to sound nonchalant. "That explains how yah got in here, and forces meh to change mah locks."

"Hahahaha," Remy laughed openly. "Y' should know by now dat no locks are gonna keep me away from y' _ma chère_."

"Well if Ah'm not wrong, last time yah didn't think that way," Remy was sure her voice cracked for an instant as she spoke, and his empathy let him feel her grief and rage.

"Yah throw meh out from yahr house… didn't give meh the chance to explain… didn't want to see meh again." Rogue managed to say without letting out a single tear or show any emotion, or so she thought.

"_Non_, in dat y'r wrong… I did want to see y', I still do." Remy stood from the chair in the corner he's been sitting on and walked to the window. After giving a quick look outside, he shut the blinds and turned on Rogue's night-table lamp.

"It's a little late for that don't yah think?" Rogue said watching Remy's movements, and with her hand on her hip as if to say 'hey look at me' she asked. "And what the hell are yah doing? Yah're acting weird."

"Look _chère_ dere's not'ing I would like more dan be here 'cause of _moi_… 'cause of us," he corrected himself. "Truth is y' might be in danger."

"Danger? Wha-what the hell are yah talking about?"

"Wolverine came to _moi_ and asked _moi_ to-"

"Logan? Ah can't believe this!" Rogue exclaimed as she walked into the living room. "First he shows in New Orleans and ruins the best thing that ever happened to meh, talks bullshit about meh and the Brotherhood, giving the wrong image of meh to the only guy Ah've ever truly lo-" she turned to Remy who had followed her into the room and was now standing right behind her, Rogue felt vulnerable due to both his proximity and the rush of feelings hitting her, the kind only Remy LeBeau was able to cause.

"De only guy y've ever truly what _chére_?" Remy asked Rogue as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pull her close to him in such a quick move that Rogue wasn't able to avoid.

"Does that matter now?" Rogue asked trying to release herself from Remy's embrace, which he tightened at every move she made.

"_Oui_, it does." Remy said almost in a whisper in her ear, the warmth and softness of his words fill Rogue with lust and desire, but most of all of need. The need of him. The urgency of his touch, of his hands roaming through her body, and his lips crushing hers. Once again Remy caught her emotions thanks to his empathy and before doing something he could regret he loosened his grip.

"Apparently some people t'ink y'r life is quite interesting… interesting enough to follow y'."

"Are yah serious?"

"Dat's what Wolverine told _moi_… y're an extremely powerful mutant, an important target. De MRD is after y' Rogue, and he's worried about y'."

"Yeah right… as if he cared."

"Believe it or not he does… he, dat blue boy, and de cute, _petite_ brunette."

"Kurt? Kitty…" a faint smiled appeared over Rogue's face at the remembrance of her brother and her best friend and for a brief moment Remy caught a glimpse of some missed happiness in Rogue's eyes, but it instantly faded. "Well, assuming yah're being honest where are they? Why aren't they here?"

"Oh trust _moi_ they wanted, de blue boy especially _mais_ Wolverine didn' t'ink de same way… He-he thought you would need time."

"Ah see…" Rogue couldn't be mad at Logan, that man knew her so well. Well enough to not appear in her door, to not even send Kurt or Kitty, which would have been a 'low move'. Gawd, she could even heard Logan saying it. So he sent the one she wouldn't be able to ignore, to reject… Remy LeBeau, because she was certain, Logan knew the way she felt about the Cajun thief. "So, he sent yah?" Rogue asked with a sarcastic laugh.

"He asked _moi_ 'cause he said… he thought I might be able to… dat y' would let _moi_…"

"Let yah what? Yah burst in mah apartment!"

"I never ment to…" Gambit let a deep sigh escape his lips. "Look, I agreed to do dis for many reasons _chère_."

"So, tell meh."

"It's complicated… more dan Wolverine knows, I didn' even mentioned it to him."

"Yah want meh to trust yah, don'ta yah? Then trust meh Remy, just as Ah asked yah before."

"_Bien_, Wolverine asked _moi_ to…" Remy sighed and tried to choose his words better, after all he didn't knew Logan, neither his relation with Rogue and her reasons to join the Brotherhood over the X-men. "He thinks y' might be in danger, as I told y' before y're an extremely powerful mutant _chère_ and a big war is coming… a war with no winners just great loss."

"And how does he know all that?" Rogue asked skeptical.

"_Je ne sais pas_… he mentioned somet'ing about Professor Xavier, some astral-mental plane, _mais_ he didn't explained dat much. Anyway I've _ma propre_ way to know such t'ings."

"What does that suppose to mean?"

"Someone pay m' to do somet'ing _chère_… a big amount of money." Rogue gave Gambit an inquisitive look. She didn't know what to think mostly because she didn't truly understand him. "Considerin' de risk _et_ de consequences."

"And what is it exactly?"

"Go to Genosha to steal Magneto's helmet."

"Who paid yah for that?"

"Senator Kelly."

"Ah don't get it… why- why would he want it?"

"In fact it's very clear Rogue, it's a provocation of war." Remy made himself comfortable next to Rogue, even placing his arm on the back the couch, a movement that didn't pass unnoticed by her, yet she tried to stay calm. She couldn't help but stare at the look on his face. Even when talking about something as serious as this that man didn't lose his sensuality. "Dat way Magneto attacks and Kelly could invade Genosha with a 'fair' reason."

"And yah accepted it?" Rogue shook her head in disbelief; she didn't understand how Remy could go that far.

"I'm a thief _chère_, I work for the highest bidder." He stated the obvious, noticing Rogue's rage, he loved the way her eyes sparkled when she was mad and, oh man he wanted to provoke her.

"Yeah well, nice way to earn daily bread! What kind of life do yah pursue Remy LeBeau?"

"Since I lost y' I really don' care." He took a white lock of hair and placed it behind her ear in a gently move, making sure to brush her face with it.

"Ah can't believe it Remy!!!" Rogue said trying to ignore his words and his touch, and raised her eyes in order to meet his. "It could be the ruin of all mutant kind, yah'r own kind and yah didn't care?" She said and was about to stand up when he stopped her, forcing her to stay by his side.

"_Mais_ I do care!" Gambit said as his hand rested on hers, squeezing it gently as he spoke. His red on black eyes fixed on her emerald green ones. "I cared de moment I found y' were one of deir major targets! Dat's why I'm here Rogue, not because of _moi_ or all de mutant kind, but because of y'… y're de only t'ing dat matters to _moi_, believe it or not!"

Rogue did believe him. She wanted to tell him he was the only thing that mattered to her too, but the remembrance of the way he treated her back in New Orleans, the image of herself crying before him while he ignored her was too painful. She'd promised herself to not trust anyone again, never again and as hard as it could ever be, she had to. Even if the person she wanted to trust the most was now in front of her, telling her how important she was to him. With no trust there couldn't be love and therefore she would never be hurt again.

"So that's what Logan told yah, that Ah was in danger?" Rogue release her hand from his grip and let out a little chuckle. "Where here Ah am, fine." She stood up this time and showing Gambit the door with a hand move, she added. "So now, Ah'm gonna ask yah to leave please."

"_Non_," Remy stood up and walked towards Rogue, cornering her and stopping until he was mere inches away. Their bodies were very close, so close that their faces were almost touching. Rogue could even feel the warmth of his breath as he spoke. "I came for y'and I'm not gonna leave otherwise _chère_… I've been lost wit'out y'."

"Rem-Remy Ah… don't do this."

"Look, de Sentinel Project," Remy moved away a little, just enough to not make Rogue uncomfortable, since what he was about to tell her was important. "Logan told _moi_ about dis Master Mold, dey want mutant's abilities to improve de Sentinels. Logan, Magneto, Wanda Maximoff, y'…" He took her chin in his hand and forced her to raise her face in order to meet his eyes. As he spoke he fixed his eyes on hers, as if his eyes could emphasize his words. "De moment I heard dey were after y'… I couldn't ever forgive myself if anyt'ing happened to y'." Remy gently caressed her cheek, and Rogue closed her eyes in response. His breath brushed her face and some kind of ecstasy enraptured her. She wanted to become his right there right then, to give into the temptation and let him possess her utterly, but this was THE Remy LeBeau who doubted of her, the one who made her fall in love with him just to turn his back on her at the very first moment of uncertainty.

Pulling all her strength together, Rogue pushed him away and stepped back. Adjusting her shirt, which Remy had slightly pulled up, Rogue look at him and faking some calmness she certainly wasn't feeling, she said coldly, "Well sugah thanks for the advice, it's nice to see yah care about meh… after all we've been through." She made especial emphasize on those last words. "Now Ah'm gonna ask yah to leave, once and for all."

"_Je suis desole_ Rogue _mais_ I'm afraid I can't do dat." Gambit made himself comfortable on the couch again, even spreading his legs along it.

At Rogue's _'what are you talking about/who do you think you are/what the hell are you doing' _look, Remy took off a bright red Blackberry from his trench coat pocket. He opened a received message and threw the phone to Rogue.

_**Gambit, they're outside Rogue's, stay with her –all night if necessary- Kurt and I are going to create some distraction near by. Once they're gone, take Rogue with you preferably at daylight. I know your ways Cajun, keep your filthy hands off the girl or I'm gonna slice them off.**_

"Pretty clear," Rogue said raising her face and looking back at Gambit. "And direct… if Ah didn't know Logan as Ah do, Ah'd say he's threatening yah," Rogue walked towards Remy to give him back his phone, her hips swaying in a seductive way and Remy found himself unable to peel his eyes off them. He knew she was doing it on purpose, so he took the innuendo and played back. "What 'ways' is he talking about?"

"_Monsieur_ Logan," Remy said as he took her hand in order to get his phone. "Doesn' know what he's talking about _chère_," then in the quickest movement Gambit pulled down Rogue's hand forcing her to land on his lap. Once Remy got her where he wanted, on top of him, he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and snaked his legs around hers, preventing her from moving. "_Non_, I t'ink he must know dose ways of y' _et_ dat's why he's telling _moi_ to keep _mes mains_ away from y'…" he said in a low and provocative voice. "Which y' can see _est impossible_, mostly if y're going to fall over _moi_ at de minor provocation _ma belle_." As he spoke his hands roamed from her lower back to her legs and from her waist to her sides, stopping right under her breasts.

God the girl was beautiful in every sense of the word. Remy was sure she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and he knew plenty. The way she was staring back at him was extremely suggestive and Remy gasped as he felt her hand traveling down his chest.

"So Ah assume yah're gonna spend the night?"

"_Avec plaisir_… I'm more dan willing to _chère_."

_XXXX_

Please let me know what you think about it!! Since you noticed the ending can lead to different ways, so please review. I've never write a sex scene before and I'm not sure about it, I mean at least at this point of the story... so what do you think?? Anyway, for those of you who liked and missed the X-men, don't worry they're coming... maybe some Wanda too.

well, take care :)  
~pennylane~


	7. Chapter 7

Hello people!! First of all I want to apologize for the late late update, I'm so sorry and hope you readers are still out there. Secondly I really want to thank all of you who had read, reviewed and added this to your favorite/alert list, but also the unsigned reviewers since I can't reply you properly, every single review means a lot!!! Last but not least thanks to **Wanda W**, my dear beta-reader since she's a very important piece of this fic too. Don't forget to review.

Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!

**xXXx**

Gambit's hands snaked around her waist and slowly moved down to her thighs, squeezing them slightly. Rogue moaned at his action and Remy took this as an invitation. He grabbed Rogue's legs firmly keeping them around his waist and then without unlocking his gaze from hers, he stood from the couch, picked her up and walked towards her bedroom.

Placing Rogue on the bed, Gambit crawled on top of her as he felt her hands roaming across his back. Grabbing the collar of his trench coat, she slid it off his shoulders and tossed it on the chair he'd been sitting before.

"Now," Remy said in a gasped voice. "Y're teasing _moi chère_."

"Ah wasn't the one who started Cajun." Rogue said snaking her legs around his waist.

Remy put his arms at each side of her head and raised the upper half of his body, taking in the full view of Rogue laying on the bed under him, her loose hair spread all over the light-green duvet. He couldn't take it anymore, he wanted to have his way with her right there and then and her moans and suggestive looks weren't exactly helping. He leaned his face down closer to hers and whisper in her ear.

"Y're playin' with fire _chère_."

"Then Ah guess Ah'm about to get burned."

Shit, she did it again. The tone of her voice mixed with the word '_fire_' sent shivers down his spine. Sure, he was a ladies man, but he'd never met a girl like Rogue, even without having to touch her soft skin -a thing that could kill him- he was already burning with desire. His hands slid over her breasts and his mouth followed them, kissing and nibbling her petit figure through her cotton shirt. Never had a fabric tasted this good. With every moan escaping from her lips, he roamed more and more hungrily across her flat stomach, ribs and breasts, stopping just at the edges of her shirt.

He felt as Rogue stroked her hands all over his back and up to his head and her fingers traveled through his messy soft hair. Rogue gasped at the sensation he was provoking in her, then abruptly she untied her legs from his waist and grabbing his hair gently she forced him to raise his face and meet her eyes.

"Are yah crazy Cajun? Do yah want to get killed?"

"Like dis? I'm more dan willing," he said with a smirk and leaned closer to her face.

Rogue pulled back and whispered, "Stop! Remy stop... Ah'm not kidding." She said as she pushed him slightly. "Ah just..."

Remy pulled back and looked down at her, clearly concerned. "I- I'm sorry... _Dieu, je suis tellement desolè_..." he mumbled, getting embarrassed by the fact that **HE** had made her uncomfortable, when he knew exactly how distressed she could get about her mutancy. To his surprise, she shook her head.

"No Remy, don't be... Ah let yah- Ah mean, Ah started it..." Rogue closed her eyes and let a sigh escape her lips. "Ah ju- Ah just gave myself into it and... Ah'm sorry," she whispered turning her face away to avoid his gaze.

Gambit rolled over and lay next to her. Rogue turned to look at him; he had his eyes closed. Rogue couldn't believe she had gone that far. How could she let this happen? She had absolutely lost any kind of self-control. Remy rolled over to look at her and smiled. She tried to say something but her thoughts were a mess in her head.

"Don' _chère_," he said placing his finger on her lips. "No harm done, _hein_?" a faint smile spread over Rogue's face. "Now, get some sleep..." Remy said as he stood from the bed and walked to the door. "I'm gonna have a cup of coffee," he said looking at Rogue. "Be right back." He lied.

**...  
**

Remy did have a cup of coffee but didn't come back to her room. He couldn't. He just wait until she fell asleep to check if everything was ok, windows locked, blinds shut and lights off. He couldn't take any risk; it was her safety in jeopardy here. He looked at her sleeping form from the doorway of the bedroom. There she was, her beauty in all its glory. She looked so peaceful. It has to be one of the best things in the world, and one of the things he loved about her. The way she slept. Even before he really knew her or fell for her, he had loved that. Truth to be told it wasn't the first time he gazed at her like that, back at New Orleans he had spent so many nights watching her from a distance, going unnoticed to both Rogue and that guard dog Pietro Maximoff. Remy chuckled thinking who was the worst to deal with, Pietro or Logan.

He loved to look at her while she slept, there was something about it –he couldn't exactly tell what- that made him feel peaceful, relaxed as if nothing or no one could ruin that moment. He felt privileged. There she was Rogue, THE Rogue, turning everything off, tearing her walls down, all her defenses and letting him watch her. Yes, he was indeed privileged.

Remy went to the bathroom, took a quick warm shower, shaved and put a clean pair of jeans on, leaving his chest uncovered. Carefully he looked back into the bedroom, she was still sleeping, but he decided to leave the door half-open, just in case and then he sat on the sofa in the little living room. He tried to make himself comfortable and turned the TV on, jumping from channel to channel with nothing but late advertising program content. Remy continued the channel surf; he was trying to set his mind on anything but the sexy girl in the bedroom. Then, he came across a music channel -VH1- he read at the corner, the background sound seemed to relax him and mumbling the song he went back to the kitchen for another coffee.

The song ended and another began.

Remy smiled as he recognized the song. It was _Kings of Leon_ _'Sex on fire'_. He loved it. He didn't know exactly when how or why, but one day he'd found himself enjoying it badly. He went back to the living room and listened to the lyric as he stood by Rogue's doorframe humming the tune as he watched her again.

_Oh, it's still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest  
You, your sex is on fire  
And you, your sex is on fire  
Consumed with what's to transpire_

He felt bad for what happened before. He couldn't believe how out of control he'd let things get. He had unintentional scared her and made her uncomfortable, but again how was he supposed to control himself when the woman he desired, wanted and loved had for a moment willingly given herself to him. For God's sake, that woman was an invitation to sin.

A wave of desire ran through his body as thoughts of what could have been flooded his mind. He cursed himself for what he did, he had been more than willing to have his way with her; he could have been killed. But to his surprise what bothered him the most was that he had just focused on his desire, his needs not hers…

"Y' deserve de best _ma chère_," Remy said in a whisper. "_Et je te promets_, if dis ever happens, I'll give it to y'."

For the pragmatic Remy LeBeau, sex had always been more like a natural process, a must in life. You date the girl, and then you have the girl. That was it, no less no more. And God knew he had had plenty of lovers in the past, some of them great in bed, but that was all. He had given none of those girls the chance to become more, not that he wanted it, though. Until Rogue.

Remy saw in Rogue something he had never seen in any other girl. He saw beyond the gorgeous woman she was. He saw in her the opportunity for a non-sexual relationship, for true intimacy, even when he didn't knew about her mutation. Rogue, the girl that killed with a touch and ironically pleaded one. She needed not just the touch but the feel, she wanted to feel... just as much as he.

She couldn't deny it, nor did he. There was something between them, bigger than their powers and their loyalties. He could see it in her eyes every time she looked at him. It was like Remy could see himself through her; she was the most pure thing that ever happened to him. No other woman had ever had this sort of power on him, yet he didn't regret it, it was incredible. Even when it was alarming and scary to feel a wave of unknown emotions rising up in his body, he enjoyed it. If there was anyone worth all of it, it was she; it was Rogue.

**...**

Remy's blackberry vibrated a few moments before he noticed it. The sound it produced against the surface of the coffee table brought him back from his thoughts. As Remy looked at his phone's lighted screen, he realized his mistake. Too focused on Rogue and the overwhelming sensation she produced in him, he had completely forgotten about the X-men. He saw that he had already received several texts from Logan while the phone had been forgotten in the living room, during his brief make out session with Rogue.

'_Damn silent mode,_' Remy thought. Although the mere idea of being interrupted by that grumpy man while his hands where traveling across Rogue's body made missing the messages well worth Logan's certain desire of beating him down.

With no other choice, Remy dialed Logan's number and let out a deep sigh, this was going to be long.

"Y' filthy thief!" Logan's voice resounded through the phone. Remy noticed the rage but chose to play things cool.

"_Alò_ to y' _too mon ami_... I'm fine, _merci_!"

"Don't play games with me Cajun!" Logan said still full of anger, Remy could swear he hasn't even breathed. "Why the hell you didn't pick up? Where's Rogue? How is she? What the fuck where you doing to her?"

Smiling, Remy thanked God for being on the phone with Logan and not in front of him. He enjoyed noticing how much he could annoy the X-men leader, especially when it came to Rogue.

"Relax _mon ami_ or y'r gonna have a heart attack. De _fille_ is good, non she's more dan good she's _très magnifique_ and believe _moi_ if I could I've already done the latter..." Remy said clearly referring to Logan's last question.

"Don't you dare Gumbo," Logan exclaimed. "Listen to me you put a hand on that girl and I'll rip your intestines out!"

"_Et_ what if she's de one who wants _mes mains_ on her," Remy took a moment to imagine the look on Logan's face. "Or what if she's de one with her hands all over _moi_! Trust _moi_ Wolverine, de _femmes_ love Remy LeBeau."

"Cut it out thief!" said Logan. "And thank God we still need you, otherwise I would slice you in pieces." Logan took a deep breath before he continued. "Listen to me... Gambit? Are you there?"

"_Oui, mais _I'm not sure how safe is dis line."

"It's safe, trust me, I would never put a member of my team at risk... Forge's own life guarantees the safety of our phones."

Neither Kurt nor Logan noticed Forge's face turn pale at Logan's words.

"We're back in the Institute, the MRD is under control... for now. But Rogue's still one of their major targets. Pryde took a look at their computer files when she and Iceman entered their base. Now we have two choices: one you bring Rogue back to us and disappear from my sight before I beat your sorry ass down and Rogue becomes our business, or-"

Remy heard some background voices, even though Logan tried to cover the phone's speaker. Surely Logan wasn't comfortable with the next option and that made Remy smile; if Logan wasn't happy about it, it perhaps meant that Remy was going to enjoy it.

"You take Rogue as far away as possible, as far as you can... until I can get in touch with somebody and be sure of her safety." Remy couldn't believe his ears. Sure Logan's evident reluctance meant something, but he never expected this. He had the best opportunity to smooth things over with Rogue and be closer to her right in front of him. Heck, maybe to even pursue a serious relationship with her, to show her he was the right man for her. Certainly luck was on his side.

"_D'accord_," Remy said shortly. No reaction could be noticed now, besides Rogue's safety was still in danger and that was the most important thing to both Wolverine and him.

"Ok then," Logan said more calmed now. "Do you know where to take her?"

"_Non_, not yet."

"I've heard about your little offering… so don't you ever dare."

"I suppose y'r talkin' about president Kelly."

"Yes I am, listen Cajun Magneto is just waiting for the slightest provocation to start a war. All he need is one pretext, so don't. We can't allow this now."

"Don' worry I've turned down dat offer."

"Ha," Logan chuckled. "So the little thief has some values after all… what's up Cajun you realized you're a mutant yourself?"

"I didn't do it for _moi_," Remy said looking towards Rogue's half opened bedroom door. "Nor de mutant kind... I did it for her."

Well, that surely caught Logan off-guard. Not wanting to go deep into Remy's reasons or feelings towards Rogue he changed subjects. "Muir Island."

"_Quoi_?" Remy knew the name but wasn't sure what Logan meant.

"Muir Island," he said again. "It's a safe place, Dr. McTaggert is and old friend of Charles. Rogue would be safe there... you two would be safe there." Logan corrected.

"I'll have it mind," Remy said.

"Not wait, that wasn't a suggest-" but Remy hang up before Logan was able to finish. "Gumbo?"

"Argh!" He snarled showing his distinctive eyeteeth, a gesture that scared everyone around him. "That filthy thief! I swear if he puts a hand on Rogue..." He stood up violently, knocking over the chair he was sitting in. He let out a frustrated growl as he walked out of the room.

A second later, the sound of his adamantium claws popping out came from the other room, followed by a sharp one. Bobby frowned and gave Kitty a questioning look; the girl just shrugged her shoulders in response. Everybody stayed silent for an instant before Forge reacted.

"No!" he said as he stood up and walked out the room.

Utterly confused Kitty and Bobby followed him, while Emma let out a faint laugh that made Kurt and Ororo went after them. Forge's complaints were muffled by the sound of Logan's bike driving away.

"God, he did it again!" Forge said with a nod. "I told him to be gentle!"

Scott turned to see Emma, who has sit next to him with looking for some kind of explanation.

"Gentle?" He asked bemused.

"The Blackbird," Emma said with a seductive smile, she loved the kind of attention Scott used to give her from time to time. "Wolverine raked his claws against it, just as he did the when we went to Africa."

"Guess he's more upset than I thought," Scott said. "Didn't know he cared that much for Rogue."

"It's not just Rogue," Emma said in a warm voice. "It's Gambit and the things he knows could happen between them."

"But Rogue," Scot said raising his gaze again and meeting Emma's. "She can't… I mean with her power the possibility to touch another human without absorbing him is-"

"Oh Scott," Emma said standing up and walking towards the door. "He's a thief… he has more aces under his sleeve than you or Wolverine could ever imagine."

"Emma wait," Scott ran after her and grabbed her wrist. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she said locking his gaze with her eyes. "Gambit is the kind of guy that doesn't give up until he gets what he wants." She said coming closer to Scott, leaving bare inches between their faces. She noticed his body stiffen and the sudden thoughts her proximity caused on him, all of them bringing the image of Jean Grey back, which bothered her. "Come on Scott," Emma chuckled as she moved away from him again; she wasn't going to give up so easily on him. "There are more people like Gambit in this world than you could ever imagine… some even living under this roof." With that she exited the room, while Scott found himself unable to peel his eyes from the perfect swaying of her hips.

"What the hell was that?" Kitty asked startled at Scott.

"I- I'm not sure…" Scott mumbled. "I mean, nothing. Goodnight Kitty." He said as he walked towards the main hall.

"Did you see that?" she then asked Bobby, who like Scott was looking after the seductive Emma Frost. For God's sake the boy was almost drooling. "Bobby!" The girl exclaimed. "I can't believe it!"

"Kit- Kitty," Bobby shook his head and turned to see the pretty brunette behind him. "I'm sorry."

"She's a telepath remember?" Kitty said as she passed by his side clearly annoyed by what had just happened. "She knows what you're thinking!"

"No, Kitty wait!" Bobby tried to grab her hand but his hand phased through it.

"Goodnight Bobby." She said as she walked towards the main stairs.

"What about our date." He shouted back waving a hand in order to catch her attention.

"Yeah sure… forget about it." Kitty said without turning back to look at him.

"But Kit, oh come on." Bobby sighed and turned to ice the glass of water she was carrying. "She's nothing compare to you… you are, we are."

"We're nothing Iceman." Kitty said as she turn around and threw at him the now frozen glass.

"Ah Kitty please… don't you wanna be like Rogue and dat Gambit guy?" Bobby said with a smile and what he swore was a seductive glare.

"Believe me Bobby you're far from be like him…" Kitty chuckled, but somehow felt sympathy for the boy staring at her with a look full of adoration. "Tell you what," she said smiling back at him. "I'll rethink the date if you stop drooling every time Emma passes by your side."

"Uh ok. Sure. Absolutely!"

"Goodnight then." Kitty turned around again.

"Goodnight babe."

"Call me that again and I'll forget the whole thing!" Kitty said before she disappeared behind the wall.  
"Uh ok, sorry about that no more babe, no more Emma got it!" Bobby said back to no one in particular.

"Drake," Kurt's voice s said from behind. "Just cut it out, don't push the girl if you want to have that date."

"…" Bobby turned around and looked at Kurt Wagner, who was leaning against the wall and has watched the entire scene. "So what do you think about Rogue?" Bobby said clearly embarrassed to change subjects. "You still cared about her right?"

"Of course I do," Kurt said. "She's my sister. Sure I'm worried about her, but, right now she's better away from us… from her home," Kurt said sure that there was no other home for Rogue than the Institute.

"And you trust Gambit?" Bobby asked sincerely.

"I trust Rogue that's all I need."

"Right… says the guy who's in love with Magneto's hot daughter."

"Really Drake, shut up." Kurt said turning around. He then took a last look at Bobby and added. "And don't ever refer to Wanda like that again." He said before disappearing and leaving behind a faint trail of smoke.

**...**

"Alò, Henri?" Remy's voice was almost a whisper, but his brother immediately recognized him.

"Remy, how are y'?"

"I'm fine _frère_." Remy said as he lit up a cigarette.

"Where are y'?" Henri asked noticing the tone in his brother voice. Something was wrong. "Is everyt'ing all right?"

"_Non_," Remy replied simply, he had no time to explain everything to his brother. "Look, Henri I'm coming back _mais_... I'm not alone."

"_Quoi_? What do y' mean?"

"She's with _moi_," Remy said taking a long drag. "Rogue is coming with _moi._"

"_Mais_, Remy," Henri was about to say something, but Remy cut him off.

"Non, Henri," Remy said, aware of what his brother was about to say. "I'm with her now Henri, _et_ dat's all dat matters."

**xXXx**

Rogue woke up in the middle of the dark; it took her a moment to get used to the null-lighted room. The few lights from outside cast faint yellowish shadows in the room. It took her a moment to recognize the voice that was coming from outside her room. It was almost a whisper but the Cajun drawl was unmistakable. Rogue waited until her eyes got used t the dark of her room before got out of bed. Walking towards the door, Rogue heard he was talking with someone of his family -or his Guild- because his French was more frequent. Rogue didn't need to know him that much to realize that Remy used to speak in fluent French when he didn't want anyone to understand him. Rogue had taken French lessons in high-school but by now all she' learned was a distant thing in the back of her mind, alongside with physics, literature and math… The girl had already enough shit inside her head to keep a special place for her academic subjects. Even so, she didn't need French now, she caught him saying her name several times and she knew that whoever he was talking with and whatever he was talking about, it was something regarding her directly or indirectly.

"Remy?" said Rogue from her room's doorframe.

"_Une seconde_," Remy said to the person on the phone. He gave her a _"can I help you?"_ kind of glare, but Rogue stayed still staring at him. "Call y' back _frère_," Remy said without removing his eyes from Rogue. "_Mais_ get everyt'ing ready." And with that he hung up.

"Who was it Remy?"

"_Chère_ we must go," said Remy as he stroked his hair.

"Wait yah didn't answer mah question," Rogue said crossing her arms over her chest. He was clearly avoiding her gaze. "Was it one of your 'business' contacts? President Kelly perhaps?"

"_Non_, Rogue no," Remy sighed as he sat down in the couch. "It was _mon frère_."

"And?" Rogue gave him a questionable look. "If it was yahr brother why are yah nervous, if there's even the possibility for yah to be... Is something wrong?"

"As a matter of fact _chère_, dere is," Remy said seriously. The look on his face, the tone of his voice. He was dead serious, something was indeed wrong; Rogue took a seat next to him and placed a hand over his knee.

"What is it Remy?"

"Y'," Remy said as he took her hand in his. "Y're in danger, I talked with Logan before I called _mon frère._"

"Is he ok?" Rogue asked in concern. "Kurt? Kitty? They've been attacked right? the X-men, Ah should-"

"_Chère, chère_, relax," Remy cut her off. "Dey'r fine… y'r de one in danger. Look, Logan has your file, dat petite- Kitty took it from the MRD base. Dey're after y' and... we must go. I've just talked with Henri, we're going back to N'awlins, just y' and _moi_."

"Ju- just yah and meh?" Rogue asked excited but scared at the same.

"_Oui_," Remy said as he put his arm around her shoulders. "Everyt'ing is gonna be fine _chère_, the whole Guild will be watching after y'." He said cupping her face and rubbing it slightly with his thumb. "Y're _ma priorité chère_, et therefore deirs."

Rogue nodded and rested her head on Remy's chest, cuddling against him. She wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. The idea of being alone with Remy scared her. Sure his family was going to be there, but he was the Master of the Guild, everyone there obeyed him blindly, so if he said alone, alone it could be. She wasn't ready for that. Years of closing herself from people, from avoiding any kind of touch and proximity, and of mentally shutting herself had made her somehow insecure and vulnerable, yet she was avid for closeness, but it wasn't just that. No, Rogue wanted more than just a touch she needed to feel.

**...**

Next thing Rogue knew, she was on the back of Remy's bike, leaving the place she called home once again. It hadn't even dawned yet. Something told her he hadn't been entirely honest with her, but she trusted him enough to run away with him, besides Logan knew she was with him and he'd even approved it, so to speak.

Once he started the engine she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. His tobacco and bourbon scent enraptured her; it has to be one of the few things that relaxed her no matter what and so she tightened the grip. The wind blew up her hair, and a couple of her white locks hit his face, making Remy smile. He wasn't sure what to expect either, he trusted Henri but he knew he had overlooked, or rather, ignored one of their most important rules. A rule that had been long a hard and fast one in the Guild, not mess with the Government openly. And now because of the girl embracing his back he had risk his life and the entire Guild security.

Feeling her arms around him made it worthwhile. His response to her touch was intense, so intense that he even had trouble focusing on the road ahead. His heart was pounding yet he felt some kind of peace he'd never felt before, holding firmly to his body was none other than Rogue, the only girl capable of making him nervous, short of breath. No woman had ever made him feel like this before, scared yet excited at the same time. Tenderly, he placed his left hand over hers for a moment before he pulled up at a diner along the road.

Slowly, Rogue slipped her arms into her olive green military type jacket, and raised the collar of her thick deep purple sweater, wrapping her arms around herself tightly to keep her warmth. In Remy's eyes she looked absolutely beautiful. The next thing she felt were his strong arms hugging her from behind as he whispered in her ear, "Hungry _chère_?" He grabbed her hand and walked towards the diner's entrance. "C'mon we've a long way to go."

They entered the place and took a table by the window.

"You want some coffee?" The young redhead waitress that stood next to their table asked. She was cute in some sort of way. Not tall, slim, with light blue eyes and evidently in her late teens. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun from which she took out a pencil.

"_Oui, petite_, dat would be nice." The girl gave him a childish smile as she poured the coffee and chewed her gum.

"Anything else?" she asked taking a little blank book from her apron.

"Ah would like a cheese sandwich, with bacon please and," she look at Remy but when he didn't say anything, Rogue added. "He'll have the same."

The girl smiled and walked away. Rogue saw her entering the kitchen and blinking at the young boy stood behind the counter, who smiled back; they reminded Rogue of Kitty and Bobby and for a moment she missed her former teammates. Just then she looked back at Remy and found him staring at her.

"So what is it?" she asked.

"_Pardon_?"

"There's something yah aren't telling meh, Ah wanna know what that is."

"_Chère_," Remy said taking a sip of his coffee. "I don' know y'r talkin' about."

"Spill it swamp rat, what is it?" Rogue said fixing her eyes on his. "We can do this the nice way," she said as she trailed seductively her gloved fingers over his palm. "Or the hard way." She said biting the tip of the glove from her other hand as if to remove it. "Yah know Ah can…"

Remy stared at her "I love y'r toughness..." she decided to ignore him so Remy let out sigh followed by a chuckle "De t'ing is _chère _by taking y' into N'awlins..." he said stroking the back of his head. "Look, I ignored one of de most important rules from de Guild de moment I came to New York to find y'... never mess with de Government."

"The Government?" she asked. "But yah do work for them, don't yah?" ashamed she corrected herself immediately. "Ah mean yah have done jobs for dem, Gawd Remy it was President Kelly himself who asked yah for yahr services to get Magneto's helmet. How can 'messing' with the Government mean so much then?"

"It's not de Government per se," Remy said placing the cup on the table and reaching her both hands with his. "It's because is different, dis time I've indeed 'messed' with some of dem." Rogue seemed confused and he couldn't blame her. "Look normally we do de job and we get paid, dat's it, no more no less. By getting involved with y', I-" how could he explain this? "De moment I agree to 'help' de X-men, I went against de Government's interests... dat's what 'messing' with de Government means. Now I'm allied with de enemy, deir enemy and well running away with one of deir **most wanted** doesn' make _moi_ deir favorite person."

"That's why yah've worked for them before," Rogue said realizing the extent of the arranged alliance between the Thieves Guild and the Government. "They turn a blind eye on yah and all the guild and in exchange-"

"_Oui_, in exchange we do some jobs. Dat way de Government leaves not just de guild, _mais moi_ as a wanted mutant alone."

"That's how yah could steal Forge's inhibitor collar and never get caught."

"Well _chère_," Remy smirked. "Give _moi_ some credit for dat too, I'm one of de best thieves in de world."

"All this because of a helmet?" Rogue asked trying to sound casual, even faking a smile.

"It's not because of a helmet _chère_, I gave myself in when I lay eyes on y' first. Rogue, look at _moi_," he said squeezing her hand gently. "I knew dat sooner or later my business with de Government would have to stop, and not because of _moi_ or de mutant kind -as I'm sure dey t'ink- _mais_ because of you. Dey don' know yet y're with _moi_, dat's why going to de Institute ain't a choice, dey will look for y' at the X-men's or even Warren Worthington's place, _mais_ not with _moi_... at least not yet. Dey might be after _moi_, _mais_ just because of de Genosha t'ing, but trust _moi_ Rogue de moment I refuse to do de Genosha job I was already done for working for de Government, I was already elsewhere..."

Remy smiled and Rogue noticed the honesty of his words in his eyes, those velvety red on black eyes hidden behind his dark sunglasses.

"But now what?" she said looking at their entwined hands. "Gawd Remy yah're taking meh to the Guild. Yah have already risked yahr'self and now- well now the entire Guild by taking meh there! Are yah sure about doing this?"

"I'm de Master of de Guild," he said rubbing her gloved knuckles. "_Mon_ decision is deir order, _mais ma femme,_" he said with a mischievous look. "_Ma femme is mine_." He laughed to relaxed a clearly upset Rogue. "Y' don' have to worry _chère_, everyt'ing's goin' to be fine." Or so he expected...

After having lunch they went back to the road. After several hours of riding and once it began to get dark, Remy decided it was enough so he stopped at a motel on the road. Rogue got off the bike and followed him to the front desk in silence. She knew they had to rest at some point, for God's sake Remy has been driving for an eternity now, it was totally understandable, yet the idea of sharing a motel room with him made her somehow uncomfortable.

Remy paid for a night and the employee didn't ask any question. He surely was used to see couples -even weird couples- like them everyday. He gave Remy the key and told him the check out times, after which he returned to whatever soap opera he was watching.

Once in the room, Remy exited again for Rogue to make herself comfortable while he carried their little baggage and lit up a cigarette. After some minutes he came back in, Rogue was sitting in the bed leaning against the heardboard. The moment she heard him enter she turned the TV off and stared at him.

"Look, Rogue," Remy started, he had repeated his speech over and over in his mind while he was outside smoking. "I- _chère_..." damn this was harder than he thought. "I can't- we can't run any risks, dat's why whe have to share de room, _mais_ I can take de chair, it's ok."

"Are yah nuts?" Rogue said. "Jesus Remy, yah've been driving half-way across the country, we can share the bed, Ah'm ok with that... just," her gaze lowered. "Well yah know mah power, Ah don't want to hurt yah so..."

"It's ok _chère_," he cut her off. "Y' can be under the sheets et I sleep over dem."

"Ok- ok," Rogue answered with an almost childish smile. Remy didn't understand how she could she somehow feel guilty about her powers.

"Now what do y' t'ink if we have some sleep, I'm tired as hell ma belle." Remy said as he climbed up the bed next to her. To his amazement, Rogue moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest.

"Thanks Remy," she said.

"_Qoui?_ C'mon _chère_ y' don't have to t'ank _moi_."

"Well, maybe," Rogue nodded. "But Ah want to," she said and snuggled up against his chest, wrapping her arm around his waist. Due to his empathy, Remy could feel her confusion, her fear, and her shame. She was enjoying the moment, yet she was nervous and scared. She was like a little girl who is facing up to something new, and thus she was somehow scared he would reject her.

"Well, thank y'," Remy said pulling her body closer to him and putting his arm around her, he began to caress her back. "For letting _moi_ do it Rogue."

Rogue yawned and a pleased sigh escaped Remy's lips. Here he was. The so-called ladies man Remy LeBeau, wrapping his arms around a girl he couldn't touch. Maybe it was destiny; maybe he's being giving the opportunity to learn all that could be shared other than just the physical in a relationship.

Rogue fell asleep in an instant while Remy, despite being extremely tired continued to caress her back and enjoy the smell of her hair. "We're having de chance to know each other petite, let's make de most of it... let _moi_ know y' Rogue, let _moi_ be with y'." Remy said in a faint whisper before falling asleep too.

**xXXx**

Quotes:  
_She's a telepath, remember? She knows what you're thinking._  
Shadowcat (To Iceman) WatXM episode 3.

_Be gentle.  
Yeah, right. The first scratch is always the most painful._ (Wolverine scratches the jet at Forge's horrified expression) So now you can relax.  
Forge and Wolverine, wasn't exactly a quote, I was referring to episode 4.

Again, sorry for the delay... life just gets in the way and I'm having a hard time with this particular story!! Hope this longer chapter kind of made it up for all the waiting weeks. *sighs* guess what? I haven't watch Wolverine Origins!!! cinemas delayed the premiere because of the swine influenza!!! Well, take care and have a good day :D

~pennylane~


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